Former Zambia national team head coach Wedson Nyirenda has voiced strong opposition to changes in African football competitions, particularly the Confederation of African Football’s (CAF) decision to cancel the African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the shift of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to a four-year cycle.
Nyirenda warned that locally based players would suffer from the reduced number of continental competitions, stressing the importance of regular exposure for their growth and recognition.
“I am against AFCON being played every four years. We need our AFCON frequently,” he said. “How do we wait four years for AFCON and at the same time cancel CHAN? That is not right.”
The former Chipolopolo coach highlighted that many locally based African players have short peak periods, making consistent tournaments critical.
“Some players shine in one year and the next they are shadows. Without CHAN and with fewer AFCON tournaments, what will these players be looking forward to?” he questioned.
Nyirenda bemoans removal of CHAN
Nyirenda also expressed concern over CAF’s cancellation of CHAN, warning that it would shrink opportunities for local talent to be recognized internationally.
“The cancellation of CHAN has obviously felt unpleasant to all local players who do not see a chance of making AFCON squads,” Nyirenda said. “CHAN has been a second platform for players to be recognised and spotted by the world. Its removal shrinks the platform of exposure for our players.”
CAF president Patrice Motsepe announced the cancellation on Sunday during a press conference in Morocco, confirming that CHAN will be replaced by the newly introduced Africa Nations League which will start after the 2028 AFCON.“The CHAN is a spectacular money loser. I can tell you for certain there is no CHAN anymore. The African Nations League will more than replace that. We will restructure our competitions,” Motsepe said.
While acknowledging CAF’s reasons for restructuring, Nyirenda suggested the move should also serve as a wake-up call for players to raise their standards and compete for places at AFCON and the FIFA World Cup.
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