Latest news with #TotalEnergiesAfricanNationsChampionship
CAF
5 hours ago
- Sport
- CAF
Title holders Senegal host Guinea in key CHAN warm-up matches
Published: Wednesday, 25 June 2025 Senegal will face Guinea in back-to-back friendlies in July as both nations intensify their preparations for the 2024 TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) scheduled for August in East Africa. The reigning champions Senegal, under new leadership but with the same ambition, have opened camp at the Jules François Bocandé Technical Centre, while Guinea's home-based squad will be setting up temporarily in Dakar after receiving approval to conduct part of their CHAN build-up in Senegal. The two West African rivals will play each other twice – on 4 and 7 July – at the Stade Abdoulaye Wade in Diamniadio, a venue that hosted key moments during Senegal's continental successes in recent years. For Guinea, the decision to base part of their training camp in a neighbouring rival's territory signals a bold strategy: proximity, competition, and the chance to test themselves against the best. It also offers a psychological edge, given that Senegal were responsible for eliminating Guinea during the last CHAN qualification series. With the domestic season wrapped up in Conakry, Guinea's technical team will now have a full complement of local players available to face the title holders. Senegal who won their maiden CHAN crown in 2023 after a dramatic win over hosts Algeria, have begun shaping a squad capable of defending their title. The stakes are high for Senegal. Drawn in a tough Group D alongside Nigeria, Sudan, and Congo, the Lions B' will use the friendlies to gauge their readiness and build cohesion. For Guinea's Syli B', grouped with hosts Uganda, Niger, Algeria and South Africain Group C, this two-match series represents a litmus test ahead of their travel to East Africa for the main event. These friendlies are not just warm-up fixtures — they are symbolic of the pride, pressure, and potential of African football's locally-driven competition. As both teams continue fine-tuning, the matches in Dakar could reveal which side is more prepared to go the distance when CHAN 2024 kicks off.
CAF
21 hours ago
- Sport
- CAF
TotalEnergies CAF CHAN 2024: Senegal's title defence begins
As the TotalEnergies African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 kicks off looms, all eyes are on defending champions Senegal as they begin their title defence on East African soil. The much anticipated eighth edition of the tournament will take place in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda between 02 – 30 August, with 19 strong contenders set to contest the coveted TotalEnergies CAF CHAN title. In a tournament filled with history, ambition, and pride, the Teranga Lions arrive not only as title holders but as the undisputed standard-bearers of African football excellence. This year's competition marks a historic milestone—it will be co-hosted by three nations for the first time in CHAN's history. The upcoming edition also signals the TotalEnergies CAF CHAN's return to East African soil for the first time since Rwanda staged the tournament in 2016, bringing with it fresh energy, enthusiastic fans, and a renewed sense of purpose. Senegal's rise in recent years has been nothing short of remarkable. Their senior national team captured the continent's imagination by winning the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2021. That triumph set the tone for a golden era in Senegalese football. Since then, the country has clinched titles in every major CAF competition available to them: CHAN 2022, AFCON U-17, AFCON U-20, and the Beach Soccer AFCON. This unprecedented run of success highlights the depth, talent, and cohesion within Senegalese football structures, and makes them a formidable force at every level. Their 2022 triumph in Algeria was historic. Not only did they lift the title for the first time, but the tournament itself set new benchmarks—breaking previous records for stadium attendance and television viewership across Africa and beyond. As the 2025 edition begins, the pressure is now on Pape Thiaw's squad to maintain Senegal's dominance. With a blend of seasoned veterans and promising newcomers, the Teranga Lions are more than capable of mounting a serious title defence. For the East African hosts, this is more than just a tournament—it's a celebration of football's unifying power. For Senegal, it's a continuation of a legacy.
