For the first time, the African Nations Championship (CHAN) is taking place in an even year. The previous editions were held in 2009 in Ivory Coast and in 2011 in Sudan. This change is a significant innovation for CHAN 2014.
The competition features sixteen national teams composed of local players, divided into four groups. In Group A, the host country South Africa faced Mozambique in the first match, followed by Mali versus Nigeria three hours later. Mali, participating in their second African Nations Championship, aims to perform better than their previous elimination in the first round during the 2011 edition in Sudan. The current edition is hosted in the country of Nelson Mandela, South Africa.
