As Rwanda intensifies preparations to host the prestigious 2016 CHAN tournament, Times Sport brings you some of the historical facts about the event which was established to strengthen national competitions regularly weakened by mass exodus of top players who leave their home countries to play for foreign teams.

The African Nations Championship (sometimes referred to as African Championship of Nations or CHAN) was first announced on 11 September 2007.

It is administered by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and is played between the best national teams of Africa, exclusively featuring players who are active in the national championships and qualified to play in the ongoing season. Expatriate players, regardless of where they play, even in Africa, are not qualified to take part in the African Championship of Nations.

The first tournament was held in 2009. It was hosted by Côte d’Ivoire and won by The Democratic Republic of the Congo. The competition was expanded to 16 teams for the second tournament, held in Sudan in 2011. The tournament was won by Tunisia.