Tanzania is gearing up–amid an atmosphere of excitement and anticipation–to welcome African national teams for the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024. This is the first time in its history that the country will host the tournament, co-organising it alongside Kenya and Uganda.
This edition of the TotalEnergies CHAN marks a milestone in Tanzania’s sporting history. It’s a unique opportunity for the country to showcase its organisational capacity, as well as its cultural and touristic identity, to the entire continent.
The CHAN 2024 finals will be held across three countries–Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda–from August 2 to August 30.
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania’s economic capital, will host the Group B matches, featuring the host nation Tanzania, Burkina Faso, Madagascar, the Central African Republic, and Mauritania.
Dar es Salaam filled with the dcent of football and draped in african flags
Preparations can be seen on every corner of Dar es Salaam. African flags wave on buildings and near stadiums and sports venues. Promotional banners decorate the streets. The media is buzzing, and the public is mobilised, fully supporting the tournament. The city is vibrant with the energy of football.
Fans began engaging early with the tournament–the biggest sporting event Tanzania has ever hosted. Youth-led initiatives and efforts by various organisations have emerged in neighbourhoods to raise awareness and rally local support for the championship. There are growing calls for mass attendance and for supporting the Tanzanian national team throughout the competition.
The people of Dar es Salaam–and across the country–are living and breathing the spirit of CHAN 2024. Excitement, curiosity, and eagerness are high as fans count down the days to the opening match at the Benjamin Mkapa National Stadium on Saturday, August 2, between Tanzania and Burkina Faso.
Eager fans and street celebrations before the kickoff
Tanzanian supporters are preparing to be the tournament’s “12th player.” Waves of enthusiasm are sweeping through the streets and neighbourhoods of Dar es Salaam and other cities. Leading the charge are fans of the country’s two biggest clubs–Young Africans and Simba–who are rallying the public behind the national team.
Sporting Infrastructure in top form
The Tanzanian government, in collaboration with the Tanzania Football Federation, has completed preparations for the stadiums and supporting infrastructure. The Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam has been refurbished to host the opening match and all Group B fixtures. Additional training venues and sports facilities have also been upgraded.
For over a year, Tanzanian authorities, including the Ministry of Sports and the local organising committee, have worked intensively to ensure all facilities meet the highest standards for delivering an outstanding tournament.
A parallel tourism campaign during the championship
The Tanzania Tourist Board, in partnership with the Ministry of Information, Culture, Arts and Sports, has launched an official campaign titled “Tinga CHAN, Tinga Tanzania.” Its aim is to promote tourism through CHAN 2024 and use the tournament as an international platform to showcase the country’s tourism offerings–such as Mount Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar Island, and Serengeti National Park.
On Thursday, July 31, the Director General of the Tourism Board, Ephraim Mafuru, stated that the campaign seeks to leverage the media and public buzz surrounding the tournament to position Tanzania as a premier tourist destination–both locally and internationally.
“We are deeply honoured to host CHAN on our soil,” Mafuru said. “It is a valuable opportunity to showcase our most iconic attractions to the world–especially as matches are played at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, the newly built Amani Complex in Zanzibar, and in Kenya and Uganda across the East African region.”
Tanzanian fans will also have the chance to watch matches from all participating teams live in public viewing spaces across cities such as Arusha, Mwanza, Mbeya, Dodoma, and Dar es Salaam.
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Tanzania’s National Team ready for the challenge
The Tanzanian national team, known as the Taifa Stars, enters the CHAN 2024 finals with high ambitions. Boosted by home-ground advantage and passionate support, the team hopes to progress as far as possible in the competition.
The squad underwent a rigorous training camp, with head coach Hemed Suleiman focusing on tactical and physical preparation to ensure the players are match-ready for the continental stage.
What truly sets this edition of CHAN apart is not only the tri-nation hosting by Tanzania, Kenya, and Uganda–but also the spirit of East African unity and cooperation it represents. The tournament has become a platform for regional cohesion–not just in sports, but also in economic, cultural, and social dimensions. It highlights football’s power to unite people and reflects the shared spirit of One Africa.
Standing proudly between natural beauty and football passion, Tanzania welcomes the continent with open arms:
“Welcome to Dar es Salaam… this is where the story begins.”
