(CHAN RWANDA 2016: 179 DAYS TO GO) CHAN coming to Rwanda is historic for East Africa

The first three editions of the African Nations Championship (CHAN) finals tournament have been held in three different regions and with the fourth coming to Rwanda; you would say CAF are doing a good job to see that the tournament is evenly spread across the continent. Unlike the 58-year old Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), CHAN, which will only be eight years old in 2016, has already been staged on West African (Ivory Coast), Central (Sudan) and Southern (South Africa) and the next edition is coming to the East. It might be still too early to forecast if the situation will stay the same 50 years later, but at least no one can accuse the continent’s football governing body of not making a deliberate effort to see that even countries or regions not regarded as being football powerhouses, are given equal opportunities. It’s an open secret that East Africa is the least endowed region in terms of producing class footballers or even competing favorably with the rest of the other regions, especially, the north, west and central. Since the first AFCON finals were staged in 1957, the continent’s biggest and most prestigious football competition has been played 30 times and not once in East Africa, with the exception of Sudan twice in 1957 and 1970 as well as Ethiopia (3 time in 1962, 1968 and 1976). Even though both Sudan and Ethiopia are part of the wider East and Central African region, you cannot count them the real east Africans, which makes it an historic occasion when finally Rwanda, a member of the East African Community, hosts CHAN from January 16 to February 7.

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(CHAN RWANDA 2016: 179 DAYS TO GO) CHAN coming to Rwanda is historic for East Africa