The African Nations Championship (CHAN) is a football tournament organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) exclusively for players who play in their country’s domestic leagues. Unlike the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), CHAN only features playe. While it is a continental tournament, its impact can trickle down to grassroots levels, including schools. Here is an exploration of the importance of the CHAN tournament towards the development of soccer in our schools.
The African Nations Championship (CHAN), set to kick off on August 2, 2025, is more than just another football tournament. It is a continental celebration of local talent, a platform that showcases the power of homegrown players who ply their trade in domestic leagues across Africa. But beyond the stadiums and the cheering crowds, the significance of CHAN runs deeper, especially in its potential to influence the growth and development of soccer in our schools. As nations prepare to compete for glory, schools across the continent have a rare opportunity to tap into the energy and inspiration generated by this tournament to transform how soccer is nurtured among students.
School football remains the bedrock of player development. Many of Africa’s most iconic footballers first kicked a ball in dusty school fields before rising through the ranks to wear their national colors. CHAN validates this journey. Unlike the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which Europe-based professionals often dominate, CHAN restricts participation to players who are active in their home leagues. This creates a unique narrative for students: that success does not always require early migration abroad. It tells young learners that dedication, discipline, and consistent performance at home can earn them a place on the continental stage. For a continent whose youth face significant barriers to opportunity, this message is powerful.
The tournament stirs national pride in local leagues and their role in building national teams. As countries begin to scout talent from every corner, schools naturally become part of that scouting ecosystem. Talented students, once overlooked or considered too young, are now seen as part of a larger football conversation. Their involvement in inter-school tournaments takes on new meaning as potential pathways to future professional careers. For Physical Education teachers and school administrators, this visibility of local players reinvigorates efforts to strengthen sports programs, allocate resources, and create an environment where talent can be spotted and nurtured early.
The CHAN tournament also exerts pressure on governments and sports federations to invest in grassroots development. If nations want to field competitive CHAN squads, they must start by strengthening their football infrastructure from the ground up. Schools stand to benefit greatly from such renewed focus. New pitches, better equipment, structured training programs, and enhanced school tournaments are some of the outcomes that can result when CHAN’s importance is fully appreciated. A government that sees a direct link between school development and national team performance is more likely to invest in both. In this way, CHAN indirectly channels resources and attention into the school system, benefitting millions of learners.
Furthermore, the timing of CHAN offers a unique motivational boost. With the 2025 edition beginning during the school holiday, students can follow the matches, learn from the techniques, observe the discipline of players and immerse themselves in the atmosphere of competition. It becomes a practical learning moment. Teachers can incorporate football stories into lessons in language, Geography, and social studies. Discussions around strategy, leadership, and teamwork can be drawn from the tournament and used to enrich classroom content. In this way, CHAN becomes both a sporting event and an educational tool.
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Role modeling is another powerful outcome. Players who feature in CHAN often return to their communities as heroes. Unlike stars playing abroad, they remain accessible and relatable. Schools that once had these players as students can use their stories to motivate current learners. Assemblies, career talks, and sports clinics featuring former students who are now national players inspire students in a direct and personal way. These connections bring the tournament closer to learners, reminding them that greatness is attainable.
The psychological impact of CHAN on school-going footballers cannot be overstated. It boosts self-belief. It reshapes perceptions. Many young players have grown up believing that to be “seen” or recognized, they must leave the continent. CHAN proves otherwise. It provides a stage where scouts, coaches, and international media watch local talent shine. That visibility, once confined to players in top European leagues, is now accessible to any dedicated athlete within Africa. Schools can harness this moment to teach students that local excellence is possible and that pathways to success exist within their own communities.
Moreover, CHAN promotes inclusion and appreciation for different styles of play. African countries boast diverse football cultures, and the tournament brings them to the fore. Schools can encourage learners to explore different tactics, team formations, and cultural expressions of football. It also serves as a reminder that football is a unifying force. Students from different regions, tribes, or backgrounds cheer for a common cause when the national team plays. This shared passion fosters unity, a core value of education.
In addition, CHAN helps to professionalize local football systems, which often rely on players developed in schools. When the spotlight is on home-based talent, the need for structured progression systems becomes urgent. This urgency trickles down to schools, prompting partnerships with local clubs, enhanced coaching education, and a renewed commitment to student welfare both on and off the pitch. Schools become not just academic institutions but launchpads for national pride.
In the long term, CHAN can help redefine how societies view sports in education. Football, through this tournament, is seen not as a distraction but as a legitimate form of talent, deserving of the same support and respect as academic achievement. Parents, too, begin to see the value of allowing children to pursue sports, knowing that excellence can lead to scholarships, careers, and even national recognition.
As the 2025 CHAN tournament begins on August, 2, 2025 schools across the continent must seize the moment. It is not just a spectacle to be watched, but a catalyst to be utilized. Teachers, students, administrators, and policymakers alike must recognize the bridge that CHAN provides between local talent and international opportunity. It is a bridge built on the foundations laid in our schools. And if walked wisely, it could lead an entire generation to a future where football and education walk hand in hand toward excellence.
By Ashford Kimani
Ashford teaches English and Literature in Gatundu North Sub County and serves as Dean of Studies.
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