CAF's Head of Safety and Security, Christian Emeruwa, has expressed strong confidence in East Africa’s preparedness to host the region’s first joint major football tournament - the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), set for August.

Speaking after the conclusion of a three-nation series of workshops for senior security supervisors, Emeruwa (pictured) was reportedly commending the quality and enthusiasm of personnel tasked with ensuring the safety of CHAN 2024 across Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

“In terms of personnel, what we have seen is impressive and commendable. We are happy with the people we have trained,” Emeruwa said in Nairobi on Friday. 

“They have been very positive and receptive to the training, and we are confident that we have the right people. However, we still have some way to go in terms of providing the necessary materials for them to work effectively.”

The CHAN safety and security training program, led by Emeruwa, began in Tanzania, where practical exercises included coverage of the Simba SC vs RS Berkane Confederation Cup final in Zanzibar, before continuing to Uganda and concluding in Kenya.

In Nairobi, Emeruwa conducted a two-day workshop for 40 senior security officials drawn from the National Police Service, Ministry of Sports, and the Ministry of Interior and National Administration.

“It’s important to bring all the security stakeholders into one room and expose them to the CAF way of doing things,” Emeruwa explained. “We are not here to teach them how to police the country - football has its own security requirements and protocols, which aren’t part of conventional policing.”

He added that the training is essential to prepare the host nations for the scale of the tournament.

“CHAN is CAF’s second biggest tournament. It’s not a one-off game - we’re expecting a significant influx of people due to the countries’ interconnected borders. We’ve shared real experiences from previous CHAN tournaments to prepare them for what’s ahead.”

The CAF African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024, exclusively for players who compete in their national leagues, was rescheduled from February to August 2025. It marks the first time the tournament will be hosted in East Africa, jointly by Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.

CHAN 2024 Group Draw:

·         Group A (Kenya): Kenya, Morocco, Angola, DR Congo, Zambia

·         Group B (Tanzania): Tanzania, Madagascar, Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic

·         Group C (Uganda): Uganda, Niger, Guinea, Algeria, South Africa

·         Group D: Senegal (defending champions), Congo Brazzaville, Sudan, Nigeria

Uganda will be making their eighth CHAN appearance, while Senegal, the current titleholders, headline a competitive Group D.

CAF is expected to release additional details regarding match venues, fixtures, and ticketing information in due course.