The African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2024 qualifiers are reaching their climax, with the second-round return legs underway.
The suspense remains high as teams battle for a spot in the tournament, with key matches taking place this week to determine who will qualify for the next stage.
Sudan made headlines on Wednesday, December 25, by becoming the first nation to secure their place in the CHAN finals.
Their victory over Ethiopia confirmed their qualification, adding excitement to the festive period for Sudanese football fans.
However, the other teams will have to wait for the results of the upcoming fixtures to know their fate.
This Friday, December 27, Niger will host Togo in Bamako, Mali. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, meaning that the second leg is poised to be a decisive encounter, with both teams still in contention for qualification.
Saturday, December 28, promises to be a day filled with thrilling action. Burkina Faso will face Ivory Coast, with the Ivorians leading 2-0 from the first leg.
Burkina Faso will need to mount a comeback to secure a place in the CHAN finals.
Other key fixtures on the day include Ghana versus Nigeria, and Senegal versus Liberia—both matchups with unpredictable outcomes that will keep African football fans on edge.
Here is the full schedule for the second-round return legs (all times in GMT):
Wednesday, December 25, 2024
2:00 p.m.: Sudan 2-1 Ethiopia (Sudan qualify)
Friday, December 27, 2024
4:00 p.m.: Niger – Togo
Saturday, December 28, 2024
1:00 p.m.: Zambia – Mozambique
4:00 p.m.: Burkina Faso – Ivory Coast
4:00 p.m.: Cameroon – Central African Republic
4:00 p.m.: Guinea-Bissau – Guinea
4:00 p.m.: Nigeria – Ghana
4:00 p.m.: Rwanda – South Sudan
4:30 p.m.: Angola – Lesotho
5:00 p.m.: Senegal – Liberia
Sunday, December 29, 2024
12:00 p.m.: Madagascar – Eswatini
1:00 p.m.: Uganda – Burundi
2:00 p.m.: Congo – Equatorial Guinea
4:00 p.m.: DR Congo – Chad
4:00 p.m.: Mali – Mauritania
With all the remaining fixtures packed with intrigue and crucial results at stake, the next few days will be vital in deciding which teams will advance to represent their nations in the CHAN 2024 tournament.