Akon: Senegalese Music Superstar to Host 2023 AFCON Draw in Ivory Coast

• Musician Akon will host the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations draw
• The multiple-award-winning singer has arrived in Abidjan for the draw
• The 24 qualified nations will find out their opponents on Thursday night

Famous Senegalese-American singer, Akon has been confirmed as the host of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations draw in Ivory Coast on October 12, 2023.

The business mogul will be joined by former Manchester City midfielder Yaya Toure for the final draw of the tournament, which will be held in January and February next year.

The event will see 24 countries divided into six groups for the continental championship.

"Global music star, AKON, will host the Final Draw of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 on Thursday, 12 October 2023," CAF confirmed on their official website.

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"The Final Draw will start at 19h00 local time/GMT (21h00 CAT, 22h00 Cairo) at the breath-taking, brand-new Parc Des Expositions venue in Abidjan and be beamed live on CAF TV (YouTube)."

Akon was born in St. Louis, Missouri, to Senegalese parents and has always portrayed his love for football despite carving a career in music. The multiple-award-winning singer has in the past produced songs for international tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup.

Senegal are the current holders of the Africa Cup of Nations title after they beat Egypt in the final of the 2021 edition in Cameroon last year, as reported by ESPN.

Below are the 24 teams that have qualified for the tournament:

Cote d’Ivoire (hosts), Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Congo DR, Egypt, Equatorial Guinea, The Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mauritania, Morocco, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, and Zambia.

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CAF releases pots for AFCON 2023 draw

Earlier, Sports Brief reported that the Black Stars of Ghana will avoid West African rivals Nigeria in the group stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Both teams have been grouped in Pot 2 of the draw, which will be held on October 12, 2023, in Abidjan.

The twenty-four teams that have qualified for the tournament in Ivory Coast have been placed in four pots of six nations each.