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Six FIFA international level stadiums in five separate
cities in Côte d’Ivoire are set to vibrate to the pulse of the 2023 African Cup
of Nations.
The 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations kicks-off in Ivory Coast on 13 January as 24 nations eye the biggest prize in African football.
Ivory Coast will stage the Africa Cup of Nations for the second time after hosting the 1984 edition of the tournament. Much has changed since Cameroon secured their first AFCON title some 40 years ago with just eight nations participating at the 14th edition of the competition.
Fast forward to 2024 and twenty four nations will participate at six stadiums in five Ivorian cities with the host nation kick starting the competition on 13 January as the Elephants face Guinea-Bissau in Abidjan with the final set for 11 February.
The Six Stadium
1. Olympic Stadium of Epimbe
The Olympic Stadium of Epimbe, located in Abidjan, one of
the country’s economic hubs, will host the tournament’s opening and closing
ceremonies.
Aside from its vast capacity, the Olympic Stadium is a
multi-purpose stadium with world-class amenities such as an athletics track,
conference rooms, gyms, auditorium, and VIP.
2. The Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium
One of the country’s heritage venues, named after the
country’s founder and first Head of State, President Felix Houphouet-Boigny,
will host Africa’s biggest event for the second time, having previously been
one of two host locations in 1984.
Prior to the event, the venue’s seating capacity has been
quadrupled to 33 000, along with additional infrastructure modifications.
The Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium also contains an
athletics track and has hosted a number of significant sporting codes and
events in Abidjan.
3. Peace Stadium
After holding the Africa Cup of Nations in 1984, one of Cote
D’Ivoire’s most iconic football grounds, the Peace Stadium in the country’s
second largest city of Bouake, will host its second Africa Cup of Nations.
The stadium recently had a massive refurbishment, increasing
its seating capacity from 15 000 to 40 000 before of the tournament.
To accommodate the thousands of expected fans, there are
further additions including a fully-equipped Media Centre, Auditorium,
Conference Facilities, and an upgraded spectator parking area.
4. Stadium of Korhogo
The Stadium of Korhogo, located in the northern section of
Cote D’Ivoire’s city of Korhogo, is one of the legacies that will result from
hosting an international event of the magnitude of the Africa Cup of Nations
Cote D’Ivoire 2023.
The stadium will have a capacity of 20,000 people and will
have a quality natural grass pitch, an athletics track, a media center, a
broadcast facility, and other stadium infrastructure essential for hosting
international events such as the Africa Cup of Nations.
5. Laurent Poukou Stadium
The San Pedro Stadium, located in the culturally rich region
of Poro, is also part of the infrastructure legacy hosting AFCON 2023.
6. Charles Konan Banny Stadium
The newly completed Yamoussoukro Stadium, located in the
nation’s capital of Yamoussoukro, which is continuously buzzing with economic
activity, is part of the city’s magnificent architecture and will contribute to
the city’s economic hub of activity after the tournament.
Yamoussoukro Stadium has a capacity of 20,000 people, as
well as an athletics track, media facilities, hospitality suites, and
conference centers.
At the outset of the competition, current champions Senegal, Cameroon, Egypt and Morocco are the tournament favourites with the spotlight set to fall on greats such as Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Mohamed Salah, Victor Osimhen or Riyad Mahrez.
AFCON 2023: groups
- Group A: Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau.
- Group B: Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, Mozambique.
- Group C: Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, The Gambia.
- Group D: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Angola.
- Group E: Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, Namibia.
- Group F: Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, Tanzania.
The top two sides in each of the six groups will advance to the Round of 16 and will be joined by four of the best placed third placed teams. The competition then follows a direct knock-out format through to the 11 February final where the champion of Africa will be crowned at the 60,000 capacity Alassane Ouattara Stadium in the capital, Abidjan.
Africa Cup of Nations 2023 fixtures (times in ET)
Saturday 13 January
- Group A: Ivory Coast vs Guinea-Bissau, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (3pm ET)
- Group A: Nigeria vs Equatorial Guinea, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (9am)
- Group B: Egypt vs Mozambique, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (12pm)
- Group B: Ghana vs Cape Verde, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (3pm)
- Group C: Senegal vs The Gambia, Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro (9am)
- Group C: Cameroon vs Guinea, Yamoussoukro (12am)
- Group D: Algeria vs Angola, Stade de la Paix, Bouake (3pm).
- Group D: Burkina Faso vs Mauritania, Bouake (9am)
- Group E: Tunisia vs Namibia, Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo (12am)
- Group E: Mali vs South Africa, Korhogo (3pm)
- Group F: Morocco vs Tanzania, Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro (12pm)
- Group F: DR Congo vs Zambia, San Pedro (3pm)
- Group A: Equatorial Guinea vs Guinea-Bissau, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (9am)
- Group A: Ivory Coast vs Nigeria, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (12pm)
- Group B: Egypt vs Ghana, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (3pm).
- Group B: Cape Verde vs Mozambique, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (9am)
- Group C: Senegal vs Cameroon, Yamoussoukro (12pm)
- Group C: Guinea vs The Gambia, Yamoussoukro (3pm)
- Group D: Algeria vs Burkina Faso, Bouake (9am)
- Group D: Mauritania vs Angola, Bouake (12pm)
- Group E: Tunisia vs Mali, Korhogo (3pm)
- Group E: South Africa vs Namibia, Korhogo (3pm)
- Group F: Morocco vs DR Congo, San Pedro (9am)
- Group F: Zambia vs Tanzania, San Pedro (12pm)
- Group A: Equatorial Guinea vs Ivory Coast, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (9am)
- Group A: Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (9am)
- Group B: Cape Verde vs Egypt, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (3pm)
- Group B: Mozambique vs Ghana, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (3pm)
- Group C: The Gambia vs Cameroon, Bouake (12pm)
- Group C: Guinea vs Senegal, Yamoussoukro (12pm)
- Group D: Angola vs Burkina Faso, Yamoussoukro (3pm)
- Group D: Mauritania vs Algeria, Bouake (3pm)
- Group E: Namibia vs Mali, San Pedro (12pm)
- Group E: South Africa vs Tunisia, Korhogo (12pm)
- Group F: Tanzania vs DR Congo, Korhogo (3pm)
- Group F: Zambia vs Morocco, San Pedro (3pm)
Saturday 27 January
- SR1: Group D Winner vs 3rd Place Group B/E/F, Bouake (12pm)
- SR2: Group A Second Place vs Group C Second Place, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (3pm)
- SR3: Group A Winner vs 3rd Place Group C/D/E, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (12pm)
- SR4: Group B Second Place vs Group F Second Place, San Pedro (3pm)
- SR5: Group B Winner vs 3rd Place Group A/C/D, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (12pm)
- SR6: Group C Winner vs 3rd Place Group A/B/F, Yamoussoukro (3pm)
- SR7: Group E Winner vs Group D Second Place, Korhogo (12pm)
- SR8: Group F Winner vs Group E Second Place, San Pedro (3pm)
Friday 2 February
- QF1: Winner SR2 vs Winner RS1, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (12pm)
- QF2: Winner SR4 vs Winner SR3, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (3pm)
- QF3: Winner SR7 vs Winner RS6, Bouake (12pm)
- QF4: Winner SR5 vs Winner SR8, Yamoussoukro (3pm)
Wednesday 7 February
- SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4, Bouake (12pm)
- SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF2, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (3pm)
Saturday 10 February
- SF1 vs SF2 losers, Felix Houphouet-Boigny Stadium, Abidjan (3pm)
- Sunday 11 February
- SF1 vs SF2 winners, Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan (3pm)
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