By Olamide Abe

The Confederation of African Football has announced a record total prize pool of $10.4m for the 2024 African Nations Championship to mark a major financial boost and signals the organisation?s intent to elevate the competition?s stature, PUNCH Sports Sextra reports.

For the first time in the tournament?s history, the eventual champions will pocket a staggering $3.5m, an increase of 75 per cent from the $2m awarded to the winners of the last edition.

The runner-up will receive $1.2m, while the third and fourth-place teams will walk away with $700,000 and $600,000, respectively.

Each of the four losing quarter-finalists will earn $450,000, while teams that finish third or fourth in their respective groups will receive either $300,000 or $200,000, depending on their group format.

Additionally, the bottom-placed teams in the five-team groups will each take home $200,000.

The prize distribution caters to all 19 participating teams and is designed to reward even early-stage participants.

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe said the increase in prize money reflects the federation?s ongoing efforts to promote and invest in African football at all levels.

He noted that the CHAN, which features players exclusively from their domestic leagues, plays a vital role in nurturing homegrown talent and enhancing the global competitiveness of African teams. ?This increase in prize money will support the development of locally based players and help strengthen the global competitiveness of African football,? Motsepe said in a statement released by CAF.

He added that the tournament remains ?a key part of our strategy to make African football more appealing to fans, sponsors, and global broadcasters.?

The 2024 edition of CHAN, officially branded as the CAF African Nations Championship Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda 2024, will be the first to be jointly hosted by three countries.

Scheduled to run from August 2 to 30, 2025, it will bring together 19 teams, including defending champions Senegal, record winners Morocco and DR Congo, as well as Nigeria, Algeria, Guinea, and Zambia.

For Nigeria, the stakes are high. The Super Eagles are making their return to CHAN after missing the last edition.

They qualified after defeating long-time rivals Ghana 3?1 on aggregate and will aim to improve on their best-ever finish as runners-up in 2018.

Coach Eric Chelle?s squad will be chasing the country?s first CHAN title as they look to convert domestic promise into continental glory. (PUNCH)

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