Tanzania will open the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) with a Group B fixture against Burkina Faso today.
Kick-off is at 06:00 pm Moroccan time (GMT+1) at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, and fans can catch the action live on beIN Sports and SuperSport.
This year marks the first time Tanzania is hosting CHAN, co-organising the tournament with Kenya and Uganda. The competition, featuring national teams made up of domestic-based players, runs until 30 August.
Neither side has won the title since the competition began in 2009. Tanzania hold the upper hand in past encounters, having beaten Burkina Faso in all three previous meetings.
The Taifa Stars will look to capitalise on home advantage and a strong support base. Head coach Hemed Suleiman has put his squad through an intensive training programme ahead of the opening match.
Preparations in Dar es Salaam are complete, with stadium upgrades and public viewing zones set up across major cities. Supporters from the country’s two biggest clubs – Simba and Young Africans – have taken the lead in rallying behind the national team.
Organisers have also launched a tourism campaign, “Tinga CHAN, Tinga Tanzania”, aiming to use the tournament to promote the country’s major attractions, including Kilimanjaro, Zanzibar and the Serengeti.
Prediction:
With the crowd behind them and a superior head-to-head record, Tanzania are slight favourites. A narrow 2-1 win for the hosts looks likely.
