CAF considering return of CHAN after coaches’ opposition to abolition

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) could reverse its decision to scrap the African Nations Championship (CHAN), a competition reserved for players based in their domestic African leagues.

The possibility was raised by Claude Le Roy, who said CAF president Patrice Motsepe was considering reopening the issue. Speaking on RMC’s After Foot, the current Congo-Brazzaville manager said he had discussed the tournament’s future directly with Motsepe.

“There is going to be a discussion about bringing it back, because today it is the only laboratory for research for what we might call the second-tier countries in Africa,” Le Roy said.

“It allows people to go into provinces and villages to discover local talent. Its removal was a catastrophe.”

The French coach, who has previously managed Senegal, Cameroon and the Democratic Republic of Congo, also criticised the financial reasoning behind the decision, which was confirmed in January.

“Supposedly because it did not make money,” he said. “As if everything always has to make money! I think CAF, and I am very pleased about this, will go back on those decisions.”

Le Roy said the competition could be redesigned rather than simply restored. He supports an age limit of 25, arguing that this would give greater priority to player development and the emergence of younger talent.

He also suggested that his conversation with Motsepe had helped influence the CAF president’s position.

“After I intervened, President Motsepe said there was genuine consideration under way and that he would follow what we, the coaches, wanted,” Le Roy said.

However, Le Roy cannot be considered solely responsible for any possible return of CHAN. Opposition to the decision had already emerged from several prominent figures across African football.

On 16 January, before the abolition was officially announced, former CAF vice-president Constant Omari warned The Guardian about the damaging consequences the reform could have for the development of African football.

On 20 January, journalists Lance Koivogui and Mamadou Bah criticised the loss of what they regarded as an important platform for domestic-based players in Guinea. A few days later, journalists in Gabon publicly expressed concern that CAF was sacrificing talent identification for commercial considerations.

Serigne Saliou Dia, manager of Senegal’s local-based national team, also strongly criticised the decision in February, describing it as a “fatal blow” to local football.

Le Roy is therefore repeating arguments that have been made by African coaches, officials and journalists for several months. His experience and access to key decision-makers may have enabled him to present those concerns directly to Motsepe, who was likely already aware of the criticism.

If CAF does revive CHAN, it would represent the success of those who opposed the removal of one of the continent’s few competitions dedicated to local talent.

The key question is whether the reported discussions will lead to action, and whether CAF will acknowledge the tournament’s sporting value and its role in developing African football after initially abolishing it on financial grounds.