CAF bans drums, vuvuzelas at CHAN
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Reading Time: 3min | Tue. 29.07.25. | 11:31
These restrictions are aimed at ensuring a tournament that adheres to the highest safety standards and is free from potential harm.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF), through Kenya's Local Organizing Committee (LOC), has released a list of prohibited items for CHAN matches, including drums, whistles, and vuvuzelas.
The long-awaited 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN) is here, with less than a week to go before the tournament begins in Kenya, Uganda,, and Tanzania.
The biennial championship, reserved for local based players, will kick off on Saturday, 2 August, with an opening ceremony at the Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam, followed by a match between Tanzania and Burkina Faso.
In Kenya, the first match will be held on Sunday, 3 August, with debutants Kenya facing DR Congo at the Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani, from 1500 hrs.
Ahead of the highly anticipated clash and for all CHAN matches in Kenya, the LOC, through the Safety and Security Department, has released a list of items prohibited in the stadiums.
Perhaps most surprising is the ban on noise-making devices, including drums, which have long been a defining feature of African football fans. Other banned items in this category include whistles, vuvuzelas, megaphones and loudspeakers.
Signal-blocking devices, whether electronic or musical, that can jam signals or disrupt broadcasting and technical systems are also prohibited.
Narcotics and illegal drugs will not be allowed in the stadiums. Food and drinks from outside are also banned, except in cases of medical needs and for infants.
Additionally, banners that are offensive or that carry political, racial, nationalistic, or gender-based messages will not be allowed.
Large items such as oversized backpacks, suitcases, boxes, and mattresses are also banned, as are powdery substances and animals except for certified service dogs.
Kenya’s passionate fanbase, the ultras, has also been dealt a blow as fireworks, flares, and other pyrotechnics have been banned. Smoke bombs, gas canisters, combustible materials, spray paint, corrosive substances, and aerosol cans are also on the prohibited list.
Furthermore, the LOC has announced a ban on firearms, real or fake, as well as any objects that can be used as weapons, including knives, explosives, and helmets used in construction or motorcycling.
These restrictions are aimed at ensuring a tournament that adheres to the highest safety standards and is free from potential harm.
The recently concluded CAF U-20Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Egypt also enforced strict safety protocols, including thorough security checks for all persons and vehicles.
There was also strict enforcement of media procedures, particularly to protect broadcasting rights, especially for accredited members of the press.
Filming of Zone One areas (the playing field) was prohibited during matches, as were interviews conducted in the stands and other restricted zones.
It is expected that similar measures and possibly more will be enforced during CHAN.
