Confederation of African Football Head of TV and Communications Lux September during an exclusive interview with NTV in Nairobi August 11, 2025.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) Head of TV and Communications Lux September believes that Kenya will benefit more from hosting 2024 African Nations Championship (Chan) if they create a last legacy from staging the event.
"The FKF Premier League must benefit from this. It must become stronger and its club should be big household names again," September said during an interview on NTV’s Monday night sports talk show SportOn! hosted by Bernard Ndong and James Wokabi.
September further noted that for that legacy to prosper, Kenyans and Africans should work more on developing their leagues and players.
"Quit the obsession with European leagues. They do not make money for Africans," he said.
September said that developing domestic leagues in Africa will blend well with enhancing Caf's vision for Chan, a competition which CAF hopes will ensure that Africa's best players remain on the continent.
September argued that for that to happen, more investment in Africa football would be needed.
"You cannot grow football without money," he said.
President William Ruto (left) and ODM party leader Raila Odinga watch the 2024 African Nations Championship match between Kenya and Zambia at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi on August 17, 2025.
"We have been increasing the prize money for our competitions. Right now, qualifying for the preliminaries of CAF club competitions will earn a club $100 000 (about Sh13 million)," he said.
The Chan prize money has increased from a total of $3.25 million in the inaugural competition in 2009 to a pot of $10.4 million (Sh1.4 billion) for the 2025 edition which Kenya is co-hosting with Tanzania and Uganda. The number of competing teams has also increased from eight to 19.
For the 2025 edition, Caf raised the winners' prize money from $2 million (Sh260 million) to $3.5 million (Sh455 million).
The increment was a serious statement of CAF's dedication to growing African football and September said that the institution will announce more groundbreaking during a historic CAF Exco meeting that will be held in Nairobi on August 30.
Ticketing challenges
"You can call it the Kenya Accord," September hyped the upcoming event. "We will announce a new format for the Women's African Cup of Nations and other groundbreaking changes," he added.
September described East Africa co-hosting Chan as a "revelation".
"The spotlight has been away from East Africa for far too long," he opined his surprise. “The region has potential to host more tournaments."
September praised Kenya for raising the profile of Chan, which is being watched in 80 countries worldwide. Attendances of matches hosted in Kenya have surpassed expectations.
Kenya Harambee Stars fans rally behind the team against DR Congo during the 2024 Africa Nations Championship Group 'A' against Morocco at Moi International Sports Centre, Kasarani in Nairobi on August 3, 2025.
"Kenya should use hosting Chan to market itself and grow skills to maintain and improve standards of hosting major tournaments," he said.
"Hosting Chan will build Kenya's capacity to host more events in future," he added.
Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda are set to jointly host the 2027 African Cup of Nations and September said that staging Chan has given "a preview of what the region can do."
"East Africa should be a hub of commercial activity and fan engagement," he stated.
Kenyan fans follow the match between Kenya and Zambia from a fans zone at the Kenya National Archives in Nairobi's CBD on August 17, 2025.
September also revisited challenges that plagued Kenya's preparations to host Chan, terming them as normal for a country that has not hosted a big event in years. "When people get to the groove of hosting, issues become less," he said.
Using his native South Africa as a yardstick for long-term benefits of hosting a major tournament, September stated that impact of hosting Chan will be felt in Kenya in the long run. "South Africa is still benefitting from hosting the World Cup. Kenya should be proud of this moment," he said.
He praised Kenyans' embracing of Chan, terming them as "overjoyed" but "they misbehaved a bit" as he referred to the ticketing challenges that saw fans overrun security at Kasarani to watch Harambee Stars play.
September described the ticketing challenges as "normal". "Even Uefa experience that," he said.
