Chan 2025 Begins with Electric Group Stage Showdown
by Geoffrey Ejiga
CHAN 2025 Makes History With Extended Roster
For the first time ever, the African Nations Championship men's football tournament will host 19 teams. Kicking off in Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. After an eight-month postponement due to inadequate facilities, the tournament is finally about to take off.
All 19 teams are divided into four groups, with five teams per group, except for the last group, which has four teams. The top two teams in each group will move on to the quarter-finals. They will battle on till the end, seeking a place in the final, which will take place at Moi International Sports Center in Nairobi, Kenya.
Catch all our CHAN predictions from SportyTrader experts if you're looking to get in on the betting action.
Can Senegal Retain their Title?
Senegal's Lions of Teranga were champions in this tournament two years ago, beating Algeria 5-4 on penalties after a goalless draw. The champions will be looking to retain their title.
Senegal and Nigeria will clash on the 5th of August, but first up is the opener between Tanzania and Burkina Faso followed by Kenya vs DR Congo .
For Senegal, qualifying will be no easy feat, as they will need to progress from a group that contains Congo, a two-time champion, the Super Eagles of Nigeria, and Sudan. Although Senegal are strong favorites to progress out of their group, their opponents will be no easy match.
Will Algeria Qualify for the Finals Again?
After a painful loss in the last CHAN finals, Algeria will expect to bring the title home. Many fans are convinced that Algeria's Les Fennecs can create history with a strong performance. However, the road to the final might be even more challenging than the last CHAN tournament.
Algeria's tournament kicks off with a match against Uganda before going to play the Bafana Bafana of South Africa. Algeria has made efforts to strengthen its attacking lineup in a bid to avoid goalless games, the type that costs them the final in 2023. Yet, it remains to be seen if this will help the Les Fennecs lift the title for the first time in their history.
Time for a First-Time Winner?
Since the first edition of the African Nations Championship in 2009, only two teams have picked up the title twice - Congo and Morocco. Senegal, Tunisia, and Libya follow closely behind with one title each. Nations like Nigeria, Mali, and Algeria have headed to the finals but have been unsuccessful.
Given the strength of the teams in this year's championships, experts agree that a fresh face might emerge as the winner. Nigeria's Super Eagles will put on a strong fight, looking to unseat Senegal as champions. However, other strong teams in the tournament will look to thwart those ambitions.
Already, Nigeria's Remo Stars forward, Olamilekan Adedayo, has revealed that the Super Eagles aim to bring the gold home. Those ambitions will be challenged right from the Group stage as Nigeria will face the current winners on August 5.
Another team with their eyes on the prize is South Africa's Bafana Bafana. Ahead of the team's opening game, South Africa's head coach, Molefi Ntseki, has commended the team, noting his pleasure with the team's progress. As part of the team's preparations, South Africa played a training match against Angola, drawing 1-1.
