AFCON 2023
The AFCON 2023, initially scheduled for June and July 2023, has been rescheduled to finally kick off in January 2024. The tournament is definitely going to be a great start to the new year 2024. We in South Africa and moreover the entire African continent are gearing up for a month-long celebration as one of the most prestigious soccer tournaments on the continent gets underway.
In this article we give you all details about the AFCON 2023, including key dates, qualified teams, the bookies’ favourites to win and furthermore some historical information.
Qualified Teams
Alongside host Ivory Coast and current cup holder Senegal 22 other teams have secured qualification for AFCON 2023:
- Algeria
- Angola
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Cape Verde
- DR Congo
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Morocco
- Mozambique
- Namibia
- Nigeria
- Senegal
- South Africa
- Tanzania
- The Gambia
- Tunisia
- Zambia
On 12 October the AFCON Group Draw will take place. There will be 6 groups with therefore 4 teams each. Then we know who South Africa has to beat in their 3 group games on the way to hopefully the knockout stages or even the final.
AFCON 2023 Schedule
The tournament stats on 13 January 2024 with the opening game and 23 other group fixtures. After a total of 36 group games the top two teams in each group as well as the 4 best-ranked third-placed teams then advance to the knockout stage, beginning on 27 January 2024. After a total of 52 matches the champion of the 2023 AFCON will be crowned in the final on 11 February 2024.
The key dates of the AFCON tournament are as follows:
- Group Stage: 13-24 January 2024
- Round of 16: 27-30 January 2024
- Quarterfinals: 2-3 February 2024
- Semi-Finals: 7 February 2024
- Third-Place Playoff: 10 February 2024
- Final: 11 February 2024
For detailed information on key match fixtures and schedules, also refer to the following articles:
- AFCON 2023 Group Stage
- AFCON 2023 Knockout Stage
- AFCON 2023 Semi-Finals
- AFCON 2023 Final
AFCON 2023 Bookies Favourites
The 2023 African Cup of Nations promises to be an exciting, intense tournament, with several teams capable of clinching victory. The best odds with the bookies have currently Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana, Senegal, Morocco, Cameroon, Algeria and moreover host nation Ivory Coast – all having a history of past successes.
- Nigeria: Three-time AFCON champions, Nigeria, emerge as strong contenders for victory. Their early qualification showcased their quality, and with key players like Victor Osimhen, Samuel Chukwueze, Alex Iwobi, and Moses, the Super Eagles can surely deliver an outstanding performance.
- Egypt is always a favorite to win. The Pharaohs, led by Liverpool star Mohamed Salah, along with Zizo and Mostafa Mohamed, aim for their eighth title, eager to redeem their loss in the 2021 final to Senegal.
- Algeria showed their strength in an impressive qualifying phase. The two-time champions, featuring star players such as Riyad Mahrez, Said Benrahma as well as Islam Slimani aim to replicate their 2019 success.
- Ghana: If the team including key players Jordan Ayew, Andre Ayew, Thomas Partey and Inaki William can showcase their full potential then the Black Stars could secure a fifth title.
- Senegal secured their first title in 2021 and are obviously eager to replicate this success. With a formidable team including players like Sadio Mane and Ismaila Sarr, the AFCON 2023 could be another triumphant tournament for the Lions of Teranga.
- As the host nation, Ivory Coast will aim for victory on home ground and their third AFCON title. With the support of the home crowd and players like Serge Aurier, Eric Bailly, Franck Kessie and Sébastien Haller, they are a strong contender.
While South Africa is a respected team in African football they are not one of the bookies’ favorites. This could change as the tournament progresses.
AFCON Previous Winners
The history of the African Cup of Nations is rich, evolving from its inaugural event in 1957 with three participating teams to the expanded 24-team format in 2019.
Here is a retrospective look at the previous AFCON winners:
| Year | Cup Winner | Host Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Senegal | Cameroon |
| 2019 | Algeria | Egypt |
| 2017 | Cameroon | Gabon |
| 2015 | Ivory Coast | Equatorial Guinea |
| 2013 | Nigeria | South Africa |
| 2012 | Zambia | Gabon / Equatorial Guinea |
| 2010 | Egypt | Angola |
| 2008 | Egypt | Ghana |
| 2006 | Egypt | Egypt |
| 2004 | Tunisia | Tunisia |
| 2002 | Cameroon | Mali |
| 2000 | Cameroon | Ghana / Nigeria |
| 1998 | Egypt | Burkina Faso |
| 1996 | South Africa | South Africa |
| 1994 | Nigeria | Tunisia |
| 1992 | Ivory Coast | Senegal |
| 1990 | Algeria | Algeria |
| 1988 | Cameroon | Morocco |
| 1986 | Egypt | Egypt |
| 1984 | Cameroon | Ivory Coast |
| 1982 | Ghana | Libya |
| 1980 | Nigeria | Nigeria |
| 1978 | Ghana | Ghana |
| 1976 | Morocco | Ethiopia |
| 1974 | Zaire | Egypt |
| 1972 | Congo | Cameroon |
| 1970 | Sudan | Sudan |
| 1968 | Congo-Kinshasa | Ethiopia |
| 1965 | Ghana | Tunisia |
| 1963 | Ghana | Ghana |
| 1962 | Ethiopia | Ethiopia |
| 1959 | Egypt | Egypt |
| 1957 | Egypt | Sudan |
How to Bet on the AFCON
With just a few months to go we are already excited about this prestigious soccer tournament. We will stand behind Bafana Bafana and even so they might not be within the bookies favourites everything is possible. Perhaps South Africa will lift the cup after all again after 28 years?
Betting on the AFCON 2023 will be available on all bookies soon. 10bet SA as Bafana Bafana’s official betting partner will surely have a great line-up but we expect all of the best betting sites in South Africa to feature special AFCON promotions.
To start betting on the AFCON follow these steps:
- Choose your favourite betting site(s): all SA bookies will take bets for all AFCON 2023 games. It’s worth to shop around for the best welcome offers as well as special AFCON promotions and boosted odds. This might mean to sign-up with a few new betting sites to make the most of the available opportunities. In a separate article we feature our recommended bookies for the AFCON.
- Once you have your betting account(s) registered and some funds in them find AFCON 2023 in the respective soccer section.
- Then start exploring the betting markets and odds for each match. Common options include match winner, over/under goals, correct score and also player-specific bets.
- Take your pick, then enter your stake amount and review your selections before confirming your bet.
Also have a read through our AFCON 2023 Betting Guide for some insights to support your betting experience.
FAQ
The 2023 AFCON takes place in Ivory Coast from 13 January 2024 until 11 February 2024.
The 34th installment of the Africa Cup of Nations was initially planned for June and July 2023. However, given that this period coincides with the rainy season in the host country Ivory Coast, potentially leading to disruptions, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) opted to reschedule the tournament to early 2024. Despite the tournament occurring in 2024, the name “AFCON 2023” remains unchanged.
A total of 24 teams have qualified for the AFCON 2023. This includes the host Ivory Coast, current cup holder Senegal as well as 22 other top nations including Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria, Cameron as well as also South Africa. For the full overview read through Bet &Win’s AFCON 2023 article.
The traditional football powerhouses Egypt, Nigeria, Cameroon, Morocco as well as Ghana are currently considered strong contenders to win the tournaments.
In the last AFCON 2021 Senegal won against host Egypt in a dramatic final 4-2 on post match penalties to secure their first ever AFCON title.
