CHAN Quarter-Finals Set: Stakes high for hosts and challengers alike
Harambee Stars coach Benni McCarthy with his players during training session ahead of their clash with DRC. Courtesy photo
The quarter-finals of CHAN 2025 will begin on Friday, August 22, with host nation Kenya facing Madagascar at 5:00 PM in Kasarani.
Kenya, who topped Group A with 10 points, are under intense pressure to deliver in front of their home fans and reach the semi-finals for the first time.
For the Harambee Stars, victory would fuel national pride and energise a country that has fully embraced the tournament.
Madagascar, who finished second in Group B with seven points, enter the tie with far less expectation but plenty of hunger.
An upset here would confirm their status as the surprise package of the competition and inspire belief in a young squad that has already defied the odds.
Later that evening at 8:00 PM, Tanzania will clash with Morocco in Dar es Salaam.
The Taifa Stars, unbeaten and winners of Group B with 10 points, are chasing history as they aim for their first-ever CHAN semi-final appearance.
Momentum is on their side, and home advantage across the border is expected to give them an extra lift.
Standing in their way are Morocco, the defending champions, who finished runners-up in Group A with nine points. For the Atlas Lions, the stakes are straightforward—anything less than a place in the last four would be seen as failure, making this one of the fiercest battles of the round.
On Saturday, August 23, Uganda meet Senegal in Kampala at 5:00 PM.
Uganda, who topped Group C with seven points, must now translate their steady group-stage form into knockout success.
For the Cranes, advancing would confirm their emergence as a regional powerhouse.
Senegal, who finished second in Group D with five points, bring speed and power and are determined to prove that their continental dominance at senior level extends to CHAN.
The match promises to be a tug-of-war between Uganda’s consistency and Senegal’s explosive style.
The last quarter-final will see Sudan take on Algeria at 8:00 PM. Sudan, surprise winners of Group D with five points, are carrying the hopes of underdogs determined to write a new chapter in their football story.
For them, reaching the semi-finals would rank as one of their greatest modern achievements.
Algeria, runners-up in Group C with six points, approach the tie with technical discipline and a reputation for delivering in high-stakes contests.
For the Desert Foxes, progression is not just expected—it is demanded—as they seek another deep run in continental competition.
If Kenya beat Madagascar, their semi-final opponent will emerge from the Sudan vs Algeria clash.
That tie determines who remains in close proximity—Zanzibar or Kampala—or travels further afield.
Tanzania, should they overcome Morocco, would instead face the winner of Uganda vs Senegal—but only in the final could they meet Kenya.
So, unless both co-hosts progress undefeated, Kenya’s path avoids Tanzania until the championship match.
