The President of the African Football Confederation (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, announced the cancellation of the African Nations Championship (CHAN), in a surprising move that puts an end to the tournament dedicated to players active in domestic leagues within the African continent.

This decision comes as part of a comprehensive review of the structure of African national team tournaments, as the African Union seeks to reorganize its competitive calendar in line with the developments taking place in African and international football, in addition to the pressure of the schedule and the abundance of commitments.

Sources within CAF confirmed that canceling CHAN in its current format does not mean abandoning support for local players; rather, it falls within a new vision aimed at developing alternative competitions or merging some tournaments, ensuring higher quality and stronger competitive levels for the national teams.

It is worth noting that the "CHAN" tournament was launched for the first time in 2009 and served as an important platform for discovering local talents in Africa, before the African Union officially decided today to close this chapter and open the door to a new phase in organizing the continent's championships.