The draw for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, set to take place in Ivory Coast at the beginning of 2024, was held today in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. This prestigious event saw the participation of some of the continent’s football stars.
The 24 teams were divided into six groups, with four teams in each group. The top two teams from each group will advance to the round of 16, along with the best four third-placed teams. Here are the results of the draw:
Group A: Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau.
Group B: Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, Mozambique.
Group C: Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, Gambia.
Group D: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Angola.
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, Namibia.
Group F: Morocco, Democratic Republic of Congo, Zambia, Tanzania.
Prominent African football figures, including retired Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel, Moroccan right-back Achraf Hakimi from Paris Saint-Germain, Senegalese winger Sadio Mane from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nassr, and retired Ivorian striker Didier Drogba, along with his compatriot Yaya Toure, who lifted the tournament’s trophy, graced the draw ceremony.
Ivory Coast will host the 2023 edition of the tournament, which was rescheduled from June and July to a new date between January 13 and February 11, to avoid the rainy season during the summer months. Matches will be held in six different stadiums across five cities, including Abidjan, Yamoussoukro, Bouaké, Korhogo, and San Pedro.
The tournament will kick off with a match between the hosts, Ivory Coast, and Guinea-Bissau. This marks the second consecutive time the Africa Cup of Nations will be held in the winter season, following the previous edition in Cameroon in early 2022, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The 24 teams were divided into four pots based on FIFA rankings. The group distribution was as follows:
Pot 1: Ivory Coast (host), Morocco, Senegal (defending champions), Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt.
Pot 2: Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Burkina Faso, Ghana, Democratic Republic of Congo.
Pot 3: South Africa, Cape Verde, Guinea, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea, Mauritania.
Pot 4: Guinea-Bissau, Mozambique, Namibia, Angola, Gambia, Tanzania.
The Africa Cup of Nations is one of the most exciting and highly anticipated football tournaments in the world, showcasing the continent’s football talent and providing a platform for African nations to compete for glory. The 2023 edition promises to be a thrilling event filled with football excellence and excitement.
