Kenya will make their long-anticipated debut in the African Nations Championship (CHAN) when they host two-time champions DR Congo in the Group A opener on Sunday, 3 August, at Kasarani Stadium in Nairobi. This clash marks not only Kenya’s first CHAN appearance but also the first competitive meeting between the two sides in the tournament’s history.
The Harambee Stars, guided by head coach Benni McCarthy, are one of two debutant nations in the 2024 edition, alongside the Central African Republic. Kenya becomes the 33rd country to feature in CHAN since its launch in 2009. With passionate home support and a hunger to impress on their first outing, the hosts are eager to make a statement against one of the competition’s most established teams.
McCarthy, who famously scored twice against DR Congo during the 1998 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final, is now tasked with steering his youthful side through a demanding group stage. The South African legend hopes to replicate the success of Morocco in 2018, the only nation to win CHAN as hosts.
DR Congo, on the other hand, arrive with pedigree. The Leopards have won CHAN twice first in 2009 and again in 2016 and are making their seventh appearance. Historically, they’ve progressed from the group stage five times, with only one early exit in 2022 when they failed to score a single goal.
The Leopards have a strong record in tournament openers, registering four wins, one draw, and only one loss in their previous six CHAN debuts. They’ve also kept clean sheets in five of those matches, underlining their trademark defensive organisation early in tournaments.
However, their recent form has been less convincing. DR Congo are currently on a four-match winless run in CHAN play, including a goalless group stage and a heavy 3-0 defeat to Senegal in their last outing in 2022.
This match is a true clash of ambition versus legacy. Kenya enters as hungry underdogs with home advantage, while DR Congo aim to reassert their status as continental giants. A positive result for either side could dictate the direction of Group A and potentially shape the rest of their tournament.
