The Africa Cup of Nations is set to take place in Côte d’Ivoire in January, but who will emerge victorious in the largest competition on the continent?
Even though the domestic club seasons are currently in full swing, the 2024 programme will begin with an international football festival. Ivory Coast is set to host the Africa Cup of Nations beginning on January 13, 2024, while Qatar is ready to host the AFC Asian Cup on the same day.
The West African country had to wait an additional three years to host the AFCON after being first awarded the competition in 2021. Six distinct stadiums in Cameroon, including those in Abidjan, Bouake, Korhogo, San Pedro, and Yamoussukoro, will host the 2024 matches.
The clubs were divided into six fascinating groups during the tournament draw in October 2023. Group A consists of Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and the host country, Ivory Coast.
Egypt will play Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mozambique in Group B to begin their campaign, hoping to avenge their final loss from two years ago. In Group C, the reigning champions Senegal will begin their title defence against Cameroon, Guinea, and Gambia, the last five winners.
Riyad Mahrez, a former forward for Al-Ahli and Manchester City, is arguably one of the most well-known participants. In Group D, Algeria will be led by him as they take on Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Angola.
As one of the favourites to win the competition, Tunisia drew with Namibia, South Africa, and Mali in Group E.
As the first African team to make it to the semi-finals of the World Cup, Morocco is still riding high from their historic victory in Qatar. Morocco will play Tanzania, Zambia, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo in Group F in an attempt to win their first championship since 1976. The Atlas Lions are among the favourites to win the trophy this time around despite that lone victory.
Maher Mahzi, a journalist and host of an African football podcast, told FOOTBALL NOW that the continent’s football community is seeing rapid growth.
“They have a really powerful side there. However, I believe that this team’s cohesiveness and solidarity among the players, the coach, and the supporters is what really sets them apart. Everybody is pressing. Nobody on the continent has a greater football infrastructure or rock, even at the federation level. The coach is a fantastic guy, a leader, and one of the youngest emerging stars in Africa. After that, everyone is aware of how they wish to play football.”
Due to the large number of African star players competing, AFCON will be watched by many fans. Broadcasters in Africa and throughout the world are assured of viewership by the talent on the pitch. Over 90 million people watched the AFCON 2019 final between Senegal and Egypt on BeIn Sport, which reports that the viewership reached record-breaking heights.
Mark Scott, a BBC football pundit, covered three Africa Cup of Nations competitions for the British network and is well-versed on the significance of the competition for the participating nations.
“I believe that interest in England has undoubtedly grown over time, and the reason for this is because so many stars from the Premier League are now taking part. Additionally, there has been a huge migration of talented Africans into the English top level. Observing the scenes from the most recent AFCON, one can see how much it dominated the landscape throughout all of Africa, not just the host nations. It’s really quite significant. And when you consider the teams that are competing, I believe that it’s really difficult to decide.”
The side with the greatest record in the Africa Cup of Nations is Egypt. The Pharaohs are the only team with a seven-time title record; they won three straight from 2006 to 2010. Once more, Mohamed Salah, their famed forward, will be the centre of attention. who, after signing with Liverpool in 2017, has achieved notable success. But Salah, dubbed “The Egyptian King,” has yet to win a significant international championship with Egypt.
“I think he carries the burden of Egypt firmly on his shoulders. With the great
“I believe that he bears the weight of Egypt heavily. He is more capable than many of his countrymen and has the strongest will in the world. He is among the world’s top players. And because of that, he is the centre of attention and emphasis leading up to a tournament.
Therefore, all 24 participating countries are under pressure. Will a new side win the African Cup of Nations, or will Senegal hold onto the championship and raise the trophy for a third time? The competition takes place in 2024 from January 13 to February 11.
