CHAN 2022 : Hostilities Begin

The seventh edition of the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN 2022) kicks off in Algeria today January 13, 2023. The competition expected to run for three weeks brings together 18 countries from the continent. The 2022 CHAN thus becomes the first edition to host this number of teams from the usual 16.
Matches will be played in four cities notably Algiers, Constantine, Annaba and Oran. The opening ceremony will take place at the Nelson Mandela Stadium in Baraki, in the suburbs of Algiers. The venue will equally be used for the closing ceremony on February 4, 2023. These two very important events will go a long way to bring to the limelight the newly inaugurated Nelson Mandela Stadium.
The 18 teams qualified for the tournament are divided into five groups with three of them having four teams while the remaining two have three teams each.
Placed in Group E alongside Congo and Niger, the Intermediate Lions of Cameroon inspire hopes following their performance in the three friendlies in Tunisia. Many believe that Cameroon can go far in the competition if some minor hitches are corrected. 
For this year’s event, Congo and Morocco are considered the favourites. Though uncertainly looms over the participation of the defending champions, Morocco, they should be aiming to retain their title after their achievements at the Qatar World Cup 2022. The local Atlas Lions have already won the CHAN tournament a record two times alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo. Some pundits have also tipped Algeria as favourites given their home advantage. Other countries like Ghana, Côte d’Ivoire cannot be under estimated. What is sure is that, all the qualified nations come into the tournament with targets and will be keen on meeting them. The competition will as well be a visibility pl...