On Sunday, Rwanda's National Football Team, Amavubi, celebrated their qualification for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) 2025 after defeating South Sudan 2-1 on December 28, 2024. However, the qualification still awaits official confirmation from the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
Despite their victory at Amahoro Stadium, there was lingering uncertainty about Rwanda's ticket to CHAN. Coach Jimmy Mulisa revealed post-match that the team played knowing their qualification was not guaranteed.
He expressed hope and reliance on slim
chances and prayers, particularly considering that some predominantly Arab
nations had announced their withdrawal from the tournament.
The eagerly awaited news came
unexpectedly on Sunday when CAF published an update on their website, detailing
Saturday’s matches. The announcement listed Rwanda among the teams that had
officially qualified for CHAN 2025.
In addition to Rwanda, other countries securing their spots include Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya the host nations, Angola, Burkina Faso, Central African Republic, Guinea, Niger, Nigeria, Senegal, Sudan, Zambia and others.
Rwanda’s last CHAN appearance was in 2021, where they exited
in the quarterfinals. The team missed the 2022 edition after being eliminated
at home by Ethiopia. CHAN 2024 is set to take place from January 1 to January
28, 2025.
Despite Rwanda’s inclusion in the
list of qualified teams, questions remain regarding the allocation of spots for
the CECAFA region. CAF regulations permit only four teams from CECAFA, yet five
teams Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya, North Sudan, and Rwanda are currently listed as
qualified.
Initially, CECAFA’s qualification process allowed for three automatic slots allocated to Uganda, Tanzania, and Kenya as the hosts and one additional spot for the highest-ranked team in the final CECAFA qualifying matches.
North Sudan had performed strongly in these
qualifiers, winning both legs against Ethiopia with an aggregate score of 4-1.
Meanwhile, Rwanda defeated South Sudan on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate tie,
having scored two crucial goals in Juba.
This discrepancy has fueled
speculation about potential errors in CAF’s announcement. If the region’s
allocation is indeed capped at four teams, one of the five currently listed
would need to relinquish their spot.
As the situation unfolds, Rwanda’s
inclusion in CHAN 2025 remains a subject of debate. While the team and fans
celebrate this milestone, they await clarification from CAF on whether the
listing will hold or adjustments will be made to adhere to CECAFA’s allocation
rules.
This uncertainty underscores the
complexities surrounding regional qualification processes and the importance of
clear communication from governing bodies. For now, Rwanda stands poised to
compete in CHAN 2025, holding on to the hope that this achievement will be
officially validated. 
Amidst Uncertainty Rwanda Secures CHAN 2024 Qualification Pending CAF Confirmation
Rwanda
defeated South Sudan on away goals after a 4-4 aggregate tie, having scored two
crucial goals in Juba
Kin
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