CHAN 24 prize money: What's up for grabs?

Kenyas McDonald Mariga, Uganda Hassan Wasswa, and Mrisho Ngasa of Tanzania during the Draw for the of the TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship CHAN 2024 Final Draw at KICC in Nairobi on Wednesday January 15, 2025. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

The 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) kicks off on  August 2, with Sh 1.3 billion up for grabs and matches hosted across Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania.

Organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the tournament features national teams composed entirely of players active in their domestic leagues.

The champion will receive Sh 452 million, the runner-up Sh 155 million, and third place Sh 90.4 million. The team finishing fourth will collect Sh 77.5 million. Each of the four losing quarter-finalists will earn Sh 58 million. Teams finishing third in their groups will get Sh 38.7 million, while those finishing fourth will receive Sh 25.8 million.

Matches will be played at five venues. In Kenya, Moi International Sports Centre in Kasarani will host the final and Group A fixtures, while Nyayo National Stadium will also be used for Group A.

 In Tanzania, Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam will stage the opening match and Group B games, while Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar will handle Group D. Uganda’s Mandela National Stadium in Namboole will host Group C and the third-place playoff.

The tournament was postponed from February to August to allow additional preparation time, including infrastructure upgrades and an extra qualification round following withdrawals by Tunisia and Libya.

A total of 19 teams are grouped as follows: Group A includes Kenya, Morocco, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DR Congo) and Zambia. Group B features Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso and the Central African Republic (CAR). Group C includes Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria and South Africa. Group D comprises Senegal, Congo, Sudan and Nigeria.

Each group will follow a round-robin format. The top two teams from each group will advance to the quarter-finals, followed by semi-finals, a third-place match and the final on Friday, August 30.

CHAN 2024 will also trial CAF’s new digital Video Assistant Referee (VAR) system, which uses mobile cameras and handheld devices instead of full stadium installations.

 At least four female referees will officiate during the group stage as part of CAF’s inclusion policy ahead of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Tickets are priced uniformly across the host countries. Regular tickets cost Sh 200, VIP tickets Sh 500 and VVIP tickets Sh 1,000, which is approximately Ugandan shilling (UGX) 27,700 or Tanzanian shilling (Tsh) 20,000. Online ticket sales opened in mid-July, with single-match validity aimed at boosting local attendance and support.

The tournament is also expected to serve as a test for regional coordination, with proposals such as the Pamoja visa under discussion to ease travel for fans, teams and officials.

 The Confederation of African Football expects the extended preparation period, particularly addressing Kenya’s stadium readiness, to enhance safety, match quality and fan engagement.

The tournament will conclude on August 30