AFCON Draw: Nigeria to Face Host Ivory Coast, As South Africa Are Drawn in Tricky Group

• The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations draw was held in Abidjan, Ivory Coast, on Thursday evening
• Nigeria will face the host nation, while South Africa were drawn into the same group as Mali
• The tournament is scheduled for next year as defending champions Senegal hope to retain the trophy

The draw for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament was held in Abidjan on Thursday evening, with Nigeria facing the host nation while South Africa got drawn in Group E alongside Mali.

The 24 teams that qualified for the tournament got to know their opponents for the biggest football competition in Africa which will be held next year.

Top teams like Senegal, Morocco, Algeria, Tunisia, Egypt, and Ivory Coast were all in Pot 1, with Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon, Mali, and Burkina Faso sitting in Pot 2.

The Super Eagles will face familiar foes Guinea Bissau, a team they lost to at home during the qualifying series, and Ivory Coast, according to Soccernet.

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Football

The Bafana Bafana will battle out with the Carthage Eagles of Tunisia, Mali and Namibia in Group E.

The Teranga Lions of Senegal will be defending their title, but face a tricky tie against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon in Group C.

AFCON 2023 Full draw

Group A

Côte d'Ivoire

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

DR Congo

Zambia

Tanzania

The 2023 AFCON is scheduled to start next year, January 13 with the host nation facing Guinea-Bissau in the opening game.

Mikel confident Nigeria will win AFCON 2023

Sports Brief earlier reported that former Super Eagles captain, John Obi Mikel is excited following the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations draw in Ivory Coast on Thursday.

The 2013 AFCON winner arrived in Abidjan on Wednesday as one of the special guests for the event to be held at Parc Des Expositions.

Mikel Obi has boldly claimed Nigeria would win their fourth AFCON title in the West African nation, claiming the title is 'coming home'.