Host Cameroon to open Africa Nations Championship against Zimbabwe

Hosts Cameroon will open their Africa Nations Championship (Chan) campaign against Zimbabwe after the draw was conducted on Monday evening in Yaounde.

The tournament will be held in Cameroon for the first time from April 4 to 25. The cities of Douala, Limbe and the capital Yaounde will host the matches in the three-week event.

The Indomitable Lions are taking part in the Chan tournament for the fourth time and will look to improve their best performances that saw them reach the quarterfinals on two occasions, in Sudan in 2011 and in Rwanda in 2016.

The other teams to be drawn in Group A are Burkina Faso, playing in the tournament for the third time and Mali who lost 2016 final to DR Congo.

Meanwhile, defending champions Morocco were seeded in Pool C and will square out with debutants Togo in their opening match. Togo qualified for their first-ever Chan after beating 2018 finalists Nigeria in the final qualification round.

They will also have Eastern Africa representatives Uganda who have qualified for every edition as well as another Cecafa region team, Rwanda.

In Group D, Zambia, Guinea, Namibia and Tanzania will square out. The tournament’s most successful team DR Congo who have won the tournament two times will headline Pool B where they compete against neighbours Congo Brazaville, 2014 champions Libya and Niger.

Groups:

Group A: Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Zimbabwe

Group B: Libya, DR Congo, Congo Brazzaville, Niger

Group C: Morocco, Rwanda, Uganda, Togo

Group D: Zambia, Guinea, Namibia, Tanzania

In partnership with ANA and Sports Leo