CHAN 2024: Why 19 Teams Will Participate Instead of 18

There will now be 19 teams competing in the final round, compared to the initial expectation of 18 teams making it to the 2024 African Nations Championship. Recent modifications to the certification procedure have resulted in this peculiar circumstance.

The last preliminary round ended with Mauritania securing a place after a scoreless tie against Mali, building on their victory in the first leg. Uganda also advanced by defeating Burundi (1-0 on aggregate). However, Uganda was already automatically qualified as one of the three host nations, alongside Kenya and Tanzania.

The initial plan by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) allocated three spots per region (North, West A and B, Centre, East, and South), plus an additional spot for the “best CECAFA zone team.” This brought the total to 19 teams. But confusion was caused by the departures of Algeria, Egypt, Libya, and Tunisia, which appeared to cut the number of players to 18.

CAF’s recently published table of qualifiers indicates two remaining slots, despite Rwanda beating South Sudan on away goals. The identities of the final two teams will be revealed shortly, ensuring all spots are filled for the tournament.

CHAN 2024 promises to be an exciting competition, with teams overcoming challenges to secure their places.