Djibouti will host Rwanda in the first leg match of the 2025 African Nations Championship (CHAN) preliminary round in Kigali, Rwanda FA Secretary-General Adolphe Kalisa has confirmed.

The Djiboutian FA wrote to their Rwanda counterparts requesting to host their home match against Amavubi in Kigali on October 27 as their stadiums remained banned by CAF from hosting international football matches.

"The request was submitted and we have honored their wish. We are waiting for the CAF to approve the dates of the match," Kalisa told Times Sport.

The first leg will take place on October 27 while the second leg is tentatively scheduled for October 31.

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The winner of the first preliminary round will take on winner between Kenya and South Sudan in the second round late in December.

Five of the zones will provide three qualifiers apiece, but the CECAFA region has been given a fourth spot because Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania automatically qualified for the finals as the joint hosts. However, they will take part in the preliminaries.

Rwanda failed to qualify for the 2022 edition after Ethiopia eliminated them from the qualifiers on a 1-0 aggregate win.

Meanwhile, Djibouti has been preparing for the CHAN games since October 2.

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The 2025 CHAN, which is in its eighth edition, will feature 19 teams. It will run from February 1-28, 2025. It will serve as a test for the three East African neighbours which will co-host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.