Host Rwanda And Cote d"Ivoire Open Gates As CHAN Starts Today.

The fourth edition of the Afrcia Nations Championship (CHAN), a unique senior national team tournament for home-based players kicks off in Rwanda today (Saturday) in Kigali.

Players eligible for this competition must be a native by birth or adoption and ply their trade in their country.

The tournament matches are recognised by FIFA as full internationals with results counting toward the monthly Coca-Cola FIFA rankings.

The Confedrration of Africa Football inaugurated the idea to provide competitive tournaments for local base players and provide national team experience as most national teams in the continent has been monopolized by players who ply their trade abroad.

Labelled the ‘baby brother’ of the Africa Cup of Nations, the CHAN has the same format with 15 qualifiers and the hosts split into four groups from which winners and runners-up advance to the quarter-finals.

The home-only rule will have little effect on finalists like Rwanda and Ethiopia, the bulk of whose leading footballers perform in the domestic championships.

But the Nigeria and Ivory Coast CHAN squads bares no resemblance to the sides which won the Cup of Nations in South Africa and Equitorial Guinea respectively.

Tunisia and Nigeria (who placed 4th in last edition in South Africa) are the first and second seeds in Group C and are tipped to sail through the group with success.

Guinea are debutants whilst Niger who makes up the group are in the tournament for the second time.

Host Rwanda had no favours as they were housed alongside Gabon, Ivory Coast and Morocco the strong Group A.

Democratic Republic of Congo, winners of the maiden CHAN tournament against Ghana in Abidjan seven years ago, and Cameroon look the strongest sides in Group B, which is completed by Angola and Ethiopia. Angola are known for quality home talents playing while Ethiopia showed the continent what their league is made up off during the 2013 Africa Cup of nations in South Africa.

Mali, Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe make up Group D.

Zambia have chosen midfielder Isaac Chansa and striker Christopher Katongo, pivotal figures in the team that mocked the form book by winning the 2012 Cup of Nations.

Recalled after two years in the international wilderness, the veterans said they were ‘humbled by the call-ups and the confidence shown in their abilities.’

Rwanda and Ivory Coast will open the floodgates at 15:00 GMT before Gabon and Morocco lock horns in the second Group A game at 18:00 GMT.

Host Rwanda And Cote d"Ivoire Open Gates As CHAN Starts Today.