What you need to know about the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations? Favorites, format and venue

Only 10 days remain until the start of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. In this feature, Dailysports offers insights into the favorites of the upcoming tournament, as well as the competition schedule and its venue.

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Where and when will the final stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations take place?

Originally planned for the fall of 2023, Guinea was set to host the tournament. Algeria, Ivory Coast, and Guinea contended for the hosting rights. Ivory Coast was to host the tournament in 2021, while Guinea was slated for 2023. Algeria was preparing to bid for the hosting rights in 2025.

However, due to uprisings in Cameroon in 2019, the Africa Cup of Nations was relocated to Egypt. This led to a reshuffling of hosting rights: AFCON 2021 to Cameroon, AFCON 2023 to Ivory Coast, and AFCON 2025 to Guinea. On July 3, 2022, the tournament was further postponed to 2024 due to weather conditions.

From January 13 to February 11, 24 national teams will compete on the fields of Ivory Coast to determine the strongest team on the continent. The Senegal national team will defend its title, but uncertainties arise considering internal reports that the coaching staff has not received salaries for six months.

On which stadiums will the matches of the 2023Africa Cup of Nations be held?

In September 2017, Ivory Coast authorities conducted an open competition for hosting venues. This included the reconstruction and expansion of the Felix Houphouet-Boigny and Stade de la Paix stadiums in Bouake, as well as the construction of new stadiums in Korhogo, San Pedro, and Yamoussoukro. The new arenas were planned to accommodate 20,000 spectators each.

In addition to the stadiums, the competition included the creation of training grounds: 8 in Abidjan and 4 in other cities - Bouake, Korhogo, Yamoussoukro, and San Pedro. It also involved the construction of 96 villas (with 5 rooms each) in these cities. Additionally, the plan included the construction of a 3-star, 50-room hotel in Korhogo.

The main arena of the tournament will be the Olympic Stadium "Alassane Ouattara" in Abidjan. The arena is designed for 60,000 spectators, and it is here that the final match will take place. After reconstruction, Stade de la Paix and Felix Houphouet-Boigny can accommodate over 40,000 fans each. Three more arenas in Korhogo, San Pedro, and Yamoussoukro were specifically built for this tournament.

What is the format of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations?

On October 12, 2023, the final stage draw took place at the Exhibition Park in Abidjan. The event was hosted by musician Akon, and among the draw presenters were former African footballers Didier Drogba and John Obi Mikel, as well as current players Sadio Mane and Achraf Hakimi.

24 teams were divided into six groups of four teams each. Four teams already had designated positions based on the FIFA world rankings for September 2023, and Ivory Coast, as the host country, automatically received the first position and took position A1 in the draw.

The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, advance to the Round of 16. Subsequently, a knockout stage will follow the Olympic system, where on February 11 in Abidjan, the two strongest teams will determine the tournament's winner.

Who do bookmakers consider the main favorite for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations?

Senegal has rightfully earned a reputation as one of the strongest football teams on the continent. In the previous championship, the team achieved a historic victory, becoming the tournament winner for the first time in its history. Currently, under the guidance of Aliou Cisse and with Sadio Mane as the leader, Senegal remains a formidable force capable of defending its title. Many bookmakers consider them the main favorites to win the Africa Cup of Nations 2024.

Egypt, with seven titles to its name, is considered the second-strongest participant in the current championship. Despite an impressive number of victories, the "Pharaohs" have not won the title since 2010. Mohamed Salah has not yet led his country to victory in the tournament, losing to Senegal in the previous final.

Ivory Coast, already a two-time winner of the Africa Cup of Nations (most recently in 2015), may benefit from the support of its home crowd. Currently, the team looks strong and promising, raising hopes for ultimate success.

The Nigerian national team, with three titles to its name, is also considered one of the main contenders for victory. In 2013, the "Super Eagles" emerged victorious, and in 2019, they became bronze medalists. This time, with Victor Osimhen in the lineup, Nigerians hope to reach the final and secure victory there.