The national football team, Amavubi, starts residential camp on Monday ahead of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) which will be held in Rwanda from January 16-7 February. 

A preliminary squad of 32 players will camp at Stipp Hotel in Rubavu and will be training at Umuganda stadium.

Wasps coach Johnny Mckinstry is expected to trim down the squad to 23 players in early January. The national side takes on Ivory Coast in the tournament’s opening game on January 16 at Amahoro national stadium.

In an interview with Saturday Sport, McKinstry admitted Group A is a stiff challenge to overcome for his youthful Amavubi side but insisted he is confident and so should the players.

"Everyone knows we are in a very tough group, we have to prepare accordingly. I have full respect for all the opponents but I am not afraid of anyone and for players to stand out, they should carry the same mindset and believe they can win against anyone at the tournament,” the Irish coach said.

"When residential camp starts on Monday, we will have few focus points, players are making good progress on our targets and we are confident they will be in good shape come the opening game against Ivory Coast.’ He added.

When asked to single out some of the focus points to take special care of in the residential camp, he replied, "The focus points are for the team, if I disclose them now, then our opponents would also have full access to them.”

In the CECAFA region, only hosts Rwanda and Uganda Cranes are taking part in the 16-team continental showpiece. Reigning champions Libya, who won the 3rd edition in 2014 staged in South Africa, failed to get a ticket to next month’s finals to defend their title.

Meanwhile, the CHAN organising committee has released the full schedule of the three-week competition. After their opening game against Ivory Coast on January 16, McKinstry’s Amavubi will play Gabon on January 20 before winding up group stage games against Morocco four days later.

In some of the highly anticipated fixtures, Cameroun will play Angola in group B on January 17, Morocco will lock horns with Ivory Coast on January 20 in group A, Nigeria and Tunisia on January 22 in group C, while DR Congo will take on Cameroun on January 25.

The 4th edition of the biannual Championship of African Nations (CHAN) will be held in three cities: Kigali, Rubavu and Huye.

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