The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially awarded Morocco the hosting rights for the 2018 Total African Nations Championship (CHAN), a decision confirmed during last Saturday’s Emergency Committee meeting. The announcement comes after Kenya was stripped of the hosting duties due to significant delays and logistical shortcomings in its preparations for the tournament. CAF’s choice of Morocco was widely anticipated, as the North African kingdom had emerged as the strongest candidate to successfully stage the event.
Morocco’s selection as host was never in serious doubt. Since declaring its candidacy, the country had demonstrated the necessary infrastructure, organizational capacity, and commitment to deliver a well-run tournament. Competing against Equatorial Guinea, Morocco ultimately secured the right to welcome the continent’s top domestic-based talent, reinforcing its reputation as a hub for African football. Meanwhile, Ethiopia, another nation that had expressed interest in hosting, failed to complete its application process, leaving Morocco as the clear front-runner in CAF’s evaluation.
The 2018 edition of the Total CHAN promises to be a showcase of Africa’s domestic football talent, featuring 16 national teams comprised exclusively of players active in their respective domestic leagues. Unlike the African Cup of Nations, which allows overseas-based stars to participate, the CHAN is designed to highlight homegrown players, providing a platform for emerging talents to shine on an international stage and attract attention from scouts and clubs across the continent and beyond.
CAF has confirmed that the tournament will be hosted across four Moroccan cities: Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, and Agadir. Each city brings a unique blend of sporting infrastructure, cultural appeal, and logistical readiness, ensuring that teams and fans alike will experience a high-quality championship. Casablanca, Morocco’s economic capital, offers modern stadiums and facilities capable of accommodating large crowds, while Marrakech and Agadir provide world-class venues set against iconic backdrops. Tangier completes the list, with its coastal setting and stadiums meeting CAF’s strict requirements for international competition.
The Total CHAN in Morocco is scheduled to take place from January 12 to February 4, 2018. Over the course of nearly a month, the tournament will not only crown a champion among Africa’s domestic-based national teams but also serve as a valuable platform for player development. For many young and emerging footballers, participation in CHAN offers exposure to scouts, potential transfers, and the chance to compete at a high level, all while representing their countries on home soil.
For Morocco, hosting the 2018 CHAN is more than just an opportunity to stage a football tournament. It reinforces the kingdom’s position as a leading nation in African football administration and infrastructure. By stepping in to replace Kenya, Morocco demonstrates its ability to organize a large-scale sporting event efficiently and successfully, reflecting the country’s ambition to remain a central figure in African football development.
In summary, Morocco has officially been confirmed as the host nation for the 2018 Total CHAN, following CAF’s decision to remove Kenya from the organization due to preparation delays. With four cities—Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, and Agadir—set to host matches, the tournament from January 12 to February 4, 2018, will showcase Africa’s domestic-based talents, providing an important stage for emerging players and reaffirming Morocco’s status as a key footballing nation on the continent.
