The 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) tournament has catalysed a reimagining of sports tourism and infrastructure in East Africa.
The 2024 CHAN, a tournament exclusively for home-based players, has given Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania a shared and immovable deadline to meet international hosting standards.
For Kenya, the deadline has been matched by the form on the pitch. The Harambee Stars are enjoying a dream run, booking a quarter-final slot after edging Zambia 1 – 0 on Sunday. The team has also won over two-time champions Morocco.
According to Football Kenya Federation (FKF) official Michael Senelwa, the infrastructure gains are as significant as the football.
“These facilities are an investment in positioning East Africa as a serious contender for bigger tournaments like AFCON,” he said in a call.
This is the first time CHAN has been staged across three countries, and the coordination it has required is already shaping future multi-nation hosting bids.
According to The East African, joint preparations included harmonising CAF compliance benchmarks, standardising construction schedules, and coordinating cross-border inspections.
Sports economist Isaac Yegon says the infrastructure rush could succeed if linked to grassroots development and urban planning.
“If managed well, these venues can anchor sports academies, draw private sector investment into surrounding zones, and strengthen a pipeline of talent and events,” he said in a call.
Kenya’s CHAN preparations have been the most capital-intensive in the region. Kasarani Stadium, one of the country’s main venues, underwent a KSh 3.6 billion (over US$27 million) refurbishment, with an additional KSh 3.1 billion (about US$24 million) budgeted for a second phase, according to the Ministry of Sports.
Upgrades include a new hybrid pitch, CAF-approved LED floodlights, modernised player facilities, upgraded media tribunes, and expanded VIP seating.
Upgrades at Nyayo Stadium improved the seating, broadcast systems, and security measures to meet CAF standards.
The centrepiece of Kenya’s push, however, is Talanta Stadium, a 60,000-seat, multi-sport arena under construction at a cost of KSh 44.7 billion (US$344.5 million).
With construction still in progress, the stadium is financed through a bond issued by Linzi Finco, the financing arm of Liaison Group. The project anchors a larger “Talanta Sports City” complex.
The Sports City will integrate training grounds, housing for athletes, hotels, a conference space, and a transport hub.
Officials say the goal is to make it a year-round sports, events, and tourism hub, avoiding the “tournament-only” syndrome that has plagued other mega-venues across Africa, according to CAF.
Beyond the bricks and mortar, CHAN has also tested new systems. During the opening match against the DRC, several fans entered into Kasarani Stadium without authorisation and misconducted themselves.
A fine of $50,000 placed on Kenya over security and safety breaches has forced the country’s football federation to work harder to ease stadium congestion. It has also improved digital ticketing.
For Uganda, CHAN provided the push to complete the long-delayed upgrade of Mandela National Stadium, better known as Namboole.
Closed since 2019 after failing CAF inspections, the stadium has undergone extensive work: reinforced roofing, a re-laid natural grass pitch with new drainage, upgraded locker rooms, improved medical facilities, and modernised broadcast suites.
Seating has been replaced and expanded in line with CAF and FIFA standards, while new floodlights now allow for evening matches.
According to the Ministry of Education and Sports, the project is financed through a mix of government funding and private partnerships.
According to Senelwa, its reopening repositions Uganda “on the continental hosting map” and will serve as a hub for athletics, rugby, and national events beyond football.
Tanzania’s Benjamin Mkapa Stadium, already one of Africa’s largest with a 60,000-seat capacity, required targeted upgrades to meet CAF requirements.
These included a new irrigation system, refurbished tunnels and changing rooms, upgraded security surveillance, and improved VIP and media facilities.
The Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium is also under construction, costing over US$112 million (about Tsh286.72 billion).
In addition, Tanzania has invested in secondary training grounds in Dar es Salaam to accommodate visiting teams and reduce wear on the main pitch.
The government has tied these upgrades to its wider sports-tourism plan, branding CHAN as an opportunity to market coastal attractions and the country’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions) potential.
Senelwa cautions that the challenge is not delivery but legacy.
“The test comes after the final whistle. These stadiums need consistent use, from local leagues to school tournaments, to justify the billions spent.”
Past African tournaments offer mixed lessons. Morocco’s stadiums from CHAN 2018 have been integrated into local football, while venues from AFCON 2010 in Angola and AFCON 2012 in Gabon-Equatorial Guinea have struggled to find consistent use.
With CHAN still in progress, the matches remain the main spectacle. But if East Africa can turn its new stadiums into year-round engines of sport and commerce, CHAN 2024 may be remembered less for the football itself than for the infrastructure it left behind.
bird story agency
The 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) has driven transformative changes in sports tourism and infrastructure across East Africa, particularly in Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. These countries, tasked with hosting the tournament for home-based players, have accelerated infrastructure developments to meet international standards. In Kenya, substantial investments have revitalized major venues like Kasarani Stadium and propelled the construction of Talanta Stadium, a multi-sport complex. Uganda utilized CHAN as a catalyst to complete upgrades at the Mandela National Stadium, while Tanzania focused on improving existing venues and building the Samia Suluhu Hassan Stadium, tying upgrades to broader sports-tourism plans.
The CHAN event has also required regional cooperation, fostering experiences that could support future multi-nation hosting bids. Beyond construction, the tournament has tested new systems, such as improved digital ticketing to handle stadium congestion. However, the real test lies in the legacy post-CHAN; for the infrastructure investments to be justified, consistent utilization for local and international events is essential. This could potentially transform these facilities into year-round sports and commerce hubs, offering lasting benefits beyond the tournament's duration.
