- Harambee Stars are expected to make a substantial sum simply for participating in the African Nations Championships (CHAN)
- The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a revised prize distribution, which will allow the champion to receive more than KSh 400 million.
- Kenya will stage the concluding match on August 30 at the Kasarani Stadium, whereas Tanzania will organize the opening game this coming weekend in Dar.
It is less than a week until the opening match of the 2024 African Nations Championships (CHAN) takes place.
The competition, initially scheduled for last year, will still take place in 2024 even though it extends into 2025.
Kenya will share hosting duties of the one-month competition with its East African neighbors, Uganda and Tanzania. This will mark the first instance where three nations jointly host the event, as they aim to use it as a trial for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Kenya's rivals in the CHAN 2024 tournament
The Kenyan men's national football team, known as the Harambee Stars, will encounter a challenging match on their home ground against two teams that have claimed victory in this competition twice before—DR Congo and Morocco.
They will commence their campaign against the Democratic Republic of Congo on Sunday, August 3, followed by a match against Angola a few days later.
The third match of Harambee Stars will be against Morocco, followed by their final group stage game against Zambia. All of Kenya's matches will take place at Kasarani Stadium.
CHAN 2024 prize money
In January, CAF revealed a revised prize distribution for the competition. The regulatory authority stated that the overall prize fund would amount to $10.4 million (KSh 1.4 billion), representing a 32% rise compared to the last edition.
Out of the $10.4 million, the tournament champion will get $3.5 million (KSh 452 million), representing a 75% rise compared to what Senegal received following the previous tournament.
The losing finalists will be awarded $1.2 million (KSh 155 million). The team that finishes in third position will receive $700,000 (KSh 90.4 million), and the fourth-placed team will get $600,000 (KSh 77.6 million).
To qualify for the quarter-finals, a team will receive $450,000 (KSh 58.2 million).
How much will the Harambee Stars receive from CHAN 2024?
Three of the four groups consist of five teams each. Consequently, the teams that come in third place in these groups (A, B and C) along with the third-placed team from group D will receive $300,000 (KSh 38.8 million).
The fourth-placed teams from Group A, B, C, and D, along with the fifth-place team from the first three groups, will each receive $200,000 (KSh 25.8 million).
Hence, the minimum amount of money the Harambee Stars can receive from the tournament is KSh 25.8 million.
"The upcoming TotalEnergies CAF African Nations Championship ("CHAN") Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda 2024 has generated a lot of excitement, with the prize money being substantially raised. This tournament is a key element of our plan to invest in African football, enhancing its appeal for fans, television audiences, sponsors, partners, and other stakeholders across Africa and globally," stated CAF President Patrice Motsepe in January.
CHAN 2024 full groups
In addition to Kenya's Group of Death, Tanzania will lead Group B, with their games taking place at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam.
The Team Stars will face Burkina Faso in the opening match of the tournament. Kenya's Kasarani Stadium will serve as the venue for the final on August 30, with Uganda's Mandela Stadium hosting the third-place playoff.
Uganda's opening match will take place against Algeria on August 4. The games in Group D will be held at the Amaan Stadium in Zanzibar.
Group A: Kenya, Morocco, Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zambia.
Group B: Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic.
Group C: Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria, and South Africa.
Group D: Senegal, Republic of the Congo, Sudan, Nigeria
Harambee Stars defeat Kenya Police
In a separate report, Benni McCarthy orchestrated a decisive 4-0 victory against Kenya Police in a pre-CHAN exhibition match.
Harambee Stars intensified their readiness for the upcoming continental assignment with a friendly match against the current league champions.
The match took place following Stars' withdrawal from the CECAFA Four Nations tournament in Tanzania.