AFCON 2023: All You Need to Know About This Year's Africa Cup of Nations

• The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations is set to herald the footballing scenes
• A host of football stars will look to rewrite the record books at the AFCON
• Sports Brief takes a look at what you need to know about the tournament

The eagerly awaited African Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023, organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is scheduled to commence on January 13 in Ivory Coast.

This tournament promises to showcase the continent's prominent football talents, who have recently demonstrated their prowess in both club competitions and the 2022 Qatar World Cup.

Featuring five teams from the Qatar World Cup, with Morocco, the semifinalist at the global event, emerging as the frontrunner, AFCON 2023 is poised to witness intense competition for the title of African champion.

In this Sports Brief, we delve into the essential details you need to know about the upcoming AFCON.

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Who are the hosts?

Ivory Coast is hosting the African Cup of Nations for the second time, with matches scheduled at six stadiums across five cities, per Al Jazeera.

The capital city, Abidjan, will provide two venues – the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium and the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, the latter being the venue for the final match. Additional fixtures will take place in Yamoussoukro, Bouake, Korhogo, and San Pedro.

Which teams have qualified?

• Group A – Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau
• Group B – Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mozambique
• Group C – Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, and The Gambia
• Group D – Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Angola
• Group E – Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, and Namibia
• Group F – Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania

When are the opening fixtures?

The Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan will witness the opening clash of Group A on January 13, featuring Ivory Coast against Guinea-Bissau, with kick-off slated for 20:00 GMT. The host nation will command attention on the tournament's debut day, ushering in a schedule of a minimum of two matches daily throughout the group stage.

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Moving to the second match-day, Nigeria is poised to face Equatorial Guinea at 14:00 GMT, marking the conclusion of the initial round of Group A fixtures.

The game will unfold at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, which will maintain its significance for the following two matches of the day.

Egypt will take on Mozambique, followed by Ghana's opening encounter against Cape Verde. Both Group B clashes will unfold at the Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, with kick-off times set for 15:00 GMT and 20:00 GMT, respectively.

How does the knockout stage work?

A three-day break is scheduled from January 24 before the commencement of the last-16 fixtures.

This is how the last 16 stage looks:

• Group D winners vs third place Group B/E/F
• Group A runners-up vs Group C runners-up
• Group A winners vs third place Group C/D/E
• Group B second place vs Group F runners-up
• Group B winners vs third place Group A/C/D
• Group C winners vs third Place Group A/B/F
• Group E winners vs Group D runners-up
• Group F winners vs Group E runners-up

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Who are the past winners?

Egypt stands as the most successful team in AFCON's history, boasting seven titles. They secured the runner-up position most recently in 2017 and 2021. Following closely, Cameroon ranks as the second most successful team with five wins.

Ghana, having clinched the trophy four times, hasn't lifted it since 1982, a fact that might cause some unease for their West African rivals, Nigeria, who have claimed the title three times.

Hosts Ivory Coast, along with Algeria (2019 winners) and DR Congo, each have two victories to their name. Senegal is defending its sole Africa Cup of Nations crown, while Morocco, the highest-ranked nation, has won the title only once in 1976.

Tunisia, Zambia, Sudan, Ethiopia, South Africa, and the Republic of the Congo have also celebrated victory, each lifting the title on one occasion.

Who are the favourites?

Morocco, having reached the World Cup semifinals, emerges as the undeniable favourites, seeking to break a nearly 40-year hiatus for their second AFCON crown. As the highest-ranked team at the tournament, the 1976 winners carry a strong contender status.

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Reigning champions Senegal and the team they vanquished in the last edition, Egypt, are anticipated to be the primary challengers to Morocco's bid for the title. Nigeria, renowned for boasting the squad with the most depth, adds another layer of competition to the mix.

How much is the prize money?

The prize money for the winners of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations is set to experience a significant 40 percent boost.

The champions of the upcoming edition in Ivory Coast will be awarded 5.5 million pounds ($7 million).

Meanwhile, the runners-up will receive 3.165 million pounds ($4 million), and each of the two semifinalists is slated to get 1.979 million pounds ($2.5 million). The four quarterfinalists will take home 1.029 million pounds ($1.3 million) each.