The CAF African Nations Championship is losing its values after multiple countries withdraw from the 2024 edition.

Officially commenced in 2009, The African Nations Championship (CHAN) is a tournament in which the national teams exclusively feature players who ply their trade in the domestic league of their home country. Therefore, apart from players based in Europe and other leagues abroad, even players who play in other African leagues are not eligible to represent their home country in the championship.

The idea behind CHAN was the need to strengthen the domestic leagues in Africa, which have been overshadowed by the European leagues. When one considers that only 74 out of the 368 players that featured at the 2015 African Cup of Nations were playing for clubs in their home country. 

But this is not the case as most countries don't see the need to prepare and send their players to the tournament because it is considered not to a top tournament in Africa.

In the 2024 edition, South Africa, Algeria's Tunisia and Libya decided to withdraw from participating in the upcoming Africa Nations Championship (CHAN) scheduled for February 2025.

In addition to Egypt, which has never taken part in this competition - concerning local players - since its inception in 2009, two other countries from the UNAF (North African Football Union) region have opted not to participate in the tournament, which will be held in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, the host nations for the 2027.

Most countries reason of not participating is due to the refusal of releasing players by clubs but this is not the case with the case of AFCON tournament where are teams do everything possible to qualify and be represented.

With the way things are going, CAF might decide to scrap the tournament as most African Countries don't rate the African Nations Championship.

The first round of the 2024 CHAN Qualifiers will occur from October 25 to 27 and from November 1 to 3, 2024. The second round is scheduled for December 20 to 22 and December 27 to 29, 2024 while the championship will take place between 1st – 28th February 2025, hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania.

CHAN Tournament Past Winners

.      2009 – DR Congo

·      2011 – Tunisia

·      2014 – Libya

·      2016 – DR Congo

·      2018 – Morocco

·      2020 – Morocco

·      2022 – Senegal