The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed that the CECAFA Zone will be represented by four teams in the upcoming 2025 Total Energies African Nations Championship (CHAN), marking an increase in the usual allocation. ALSO READ: CAF confirms dates for CHAN 2025 The tournament will be hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania from February 1 to 28, 2025. CAF explained that the decision to expand CECAFA's representation is due to the automatic qualification of the three host countries. The CECAFA Zone, which includes the three host countries, will receive an additional slot due to their automatic qualification as hosts. As a result, the total number of teams qualifying for the final tournament will be increased to 19 teams, CAF shared in an official announcement on Thursday, September 26. This expansion provides a unique opportunity for another nation from the CECAFA region to showcase its talent on the continental stage, alongside regular participants like Uganda, Rwanda, and Sudan. Uganda, in particular, has qualified six times out of the seven CHAN editions since 2009, while Rwanda has secured four appearances. CAF also released details regarding the qualification rounds for the 2025 tournament. The first round of qualifiers is scheduled for October 25-27, with return legs set for November 1-3. The second round will take place between December 20-22, with return matches slated for December 25-27. Aside from the CECAFA region, other CAF Zones—COSAFA, WAFU A, WAFU B, UNAF, and UNIFFAC—have been allocated three teams each for CHAN 2025. CHAN is a biennial competition exclusively featuring players active in their home countries’ domestic leagues. This tournament provides a platform for local talent to gain international exposure, separate from the regular African Cup of Nations (AFCON), which features foreign-based players.
