Excitement as Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea kick off AFCON 2023

The 34th Africa Cup of Nations begins today with the host national team, the Elephants of Ivory Coast taking on Guinea-Bissau in the opening match. The AFCON is Africa’s biggest football event and twenty four teams representing the best African football playing nations have already converged on Abidjan and five other designated Ivorian cities for the tournament which runs through February 11.

The first edition of the tournament was held in 1957 with only three participating nations: Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. South Africa was originally scheduled to join, but was disqualified due to the apartheid policies of the government at the time. Since 1968, the AFCON has been held every two years, switching to odd-numbered years in 2013.

The tournament has witnessed tremendous growth as the number of participating countries increased from 12 to 16 in 1996, but Nigeria’s withdrawal left the organisers with 15 teams for the tournament in South Africa. In 2017, the Confederation of African Football, Africa’s football governing body decided to increase the number of finalists from 16 to 24.

Among the competing nations, Egypt remains the most successful nation with seven titles. Egypt won an unprecedented three consecutive titles in 2006, 2008, and 2010. Cameroon follows with five titles while Ghana with four titles is placed a distant third. The current champions, Senegal defeated Egypt in the 2022 final in Cameroon after a nail-biting penalty shootout to win the AFCON for the first time.

The Local Organising Committee has declared its readiness to host Africa and showcase the continent’s potentials in organizing big time tournaments.

Beyond sports, the biennial tournament provides a window to showcase African culture and tourism. A lot of excitement awaits thousands of visitors and the near one billion global television audience. The euphoria is sweeping through many cities across Ivory Coast, a sign that the people of the country and the entire African nations have been eagerly awaiting this event.

The AFCON presents talented African youths, who have been lighting up foreign football leagues across the world, the opportunity to exhibit their skill and talent on home soil to the delight of their teeming local fans and the rest of the world.

For CAF, the 2023 AFCON can be regarded as the most lucrative as television networks from across Africa, Latin America, Europe and Asia have secured the broadcasting rights to air the matches live. In monetary terms this is a handsome harvest which has reflected in the upward review of the prize money -7 million American Dollars for the winner and other consolation prizes, cascading down the ladder.

The long wait for the tournament which was originally scheduled for October-November 2023 is over.

Let the games begin.

Africa Cup of Nations

Year Winner Runner-up

1957 Egypt Ethiopia

1959 Egypt Sudan

1962 Ethiopia Egypt

1963 Ghana Sudan

1965 Ghana Tunisia

1968 Congo (Kinshasa) Ghana

1970 Sudan Ghana

1972 Congo (Brazzaville) Mali

1974 Zaire Zambia

1976 Morocco Guinea

1978 Ghana Uganda

1980 Nigeria Algeria

1982 Ghana Libya

1984 Cameroon Nigeria

1986 Egypt Cameroon

1988 Cameroon Nigeria

1990 Algeria Nigeria

1992 Côte d’Ivoire Ghana

1994 Nigeria Zambia

1996 South Africa Tunisia

1998 Egypt South Africa

2000 Cameroon Nigeria

2002 Cameroon Senegal

2004 Tunisia Morocco

2006 Egypt Côte d’Ivoire

2008 Egypt Cameroon

2010 Egypt Ghana

2012 Zambia Côte d’Ivoire

2013 Nigeria Burkina Faso

2015 Côte d’Ivoire Ghana

2017 Cameroon Egypt

2019 Algeria Senegal

2021 Senegal Egypt

AFCON records

25 AFCON records you must know as Super Eagles, others get set to rumble in Cote d’Ivoire

The Super Eagles and many Nigerian players have written several pages in the Nations Cup record books.

Since its inception in 1957, the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has produced a glut of incredible moments, legendary players, and mind-blowing records.

Proudly, Nigerian players and the Super Eagles as a team have written several pages on the AFCON record books.

Get ready for another thrilling edition of the AFCON tournament in Cote d’Ivoire, and discover 25 must-know records, courtesy PREMIUM TIMES

No debutants in 2024

For the first time, the AFCON tournament will have no debutant, as the showpiece in Cote d’Ivoire will be between familiar foes.

The 1972 edition, with four debutants, had the largest number of new countries ever.

Most titles

While we expect many records to be broken and others set at this 2023 AFCON tournament, one that will not be matched or broken, this year is the country with the most titles.

The undisputed kings of AFCON are Egypt, who have lifted the trophy seven times, most recently in 2010.

Three consecutive titles cemented that dominance between 2006 and 2010, which no other country has also achieved.

The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon, with five titles, are the second most decorated team, having lifted the trophy in 1972, 1984, 2000, 2002, and 2017.

Most successful coaches

Though many African teams are keeping faith in expatriate coaches, the most successful managers at AFCON tournaments are the ‘home boys’.

As reflected in the record books, Egypt’s Hassan Shehata and Ghana’s Charles Gyamfi are the most successful at the continent’s flagship tournament, with three titles each for their countries.

Curiously, since these two men exited their positions, Egypt and Ghana have yet to taste AFCON success, with the Black Stars’ drought extending to an unimaginable 42 years.

Most losses in finals

Ghana’s Black Stars are the record-losing finalists, having lost five times in nine attempts. The Super Eagles of Nigeria are just behind them, losing four times on the seven occasions they made it to the final. It is instructive to note that the Eagles’ nemesis in most of these finals has been Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions.

Most third-Place finishes

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are the king of the loser’s final, winning the bronze an astonishing eight times. While this shows Nigeria is always good enough to make the semi-final, it is not necessarily a record to be proud of.

Cote d’Ivoire, with four AFCON bronze medals, is a distant second behind Nigeria in this category.

All-time highest goal scorer

Samuel Eto’o, the legendary Cameroonian forward, is the all-time top scorer in AFCON history, with 18 goals across six tournaments.

His predatory instincts and impact on the game remain unmatched. Presently, the Cameroon FA boss, Eto’o, will be in Cote d’Ivoire to ginger the Lions to possibly another AFCON triumph.

Most goals in one tournament

Pierre Ndaye Mulamba from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, formerly Zaire, has the record for the most goals in one tournament.

Nicknamed “Mutumbula” (“assassin”) and “Volvo”, the lethal forward scored nine goals to help his country claim their second AFCON title in 1974.

Odion Ighalo, with five goals in Egypt in 2019, is Nigeria’s highest scorer in one tournament, dwarfing legends like Rashidi Yekini, Segun Odegbami, and Julius Agahowa, among others.

Fastest Goal

Ayman Mansour made history in 1994 when he scored the fastest goal ever in the Africa Cup of Nations. He opened the scoring after just 23 seconds in Egypt’s 4-0 win over Gabon.

Youngest Goal Scorer

Shiva N’zigou of Gabon is the youngest player to score in an AFCON competition. He was 16 years and 93 days old when he scored for Gabon against South Africa in a 3-1 defeat on 23 January, 2000.

Oldest goalscorer

Hossam Hassan of Egypt remains the competition’s oldest goalscorer since scoring for Egypt against DR Congo on February 3, 2006, in a 4-1 quarterfinal victory. He was 39 years and 174 days old when he scored.

Most goals in a single match

Laurent Pokou scored five goals for Ivory Coast in a 6-1 victory against Ethiopia in 1970.

Goal-scoring goalkeeper

Kennedy Mweene is the first and only goalkeeper to score a goal, for Zambia in an Africa Cup of Nations in 2013, against Nigeria.

First ever goal

Raafat Attia scored the first-ever goal at the Africa Cup of Nations; in the first match of the inaugural tournament on 10 February 1957. He scored the opening goal for Egypt against hosts Sudan in a 2–1 victory.

Longest unbeaten run

Egypt holds the record for the longest unbeaten run in AFCON history, stretching 21 matches between 2008 and 2010. This period coincided with their remarkable three-peat victory.

Most tournament appearances

This honour is shared between two veterans, Ahmed Hassan (Egypt) and Rigobert Song (Cameroon). Both players featured in eight tournaments from 1996 to 2010. Interestingly, Song will be in Cote d’Ivoire, but as a coach for the Indomitable Lions.

Double honours

Mahmoud El-Gohary of Egypt is the first man to win the competition both as a player and coach. El-Gohary won in 1959 as a player and then in 1998 as a coach.

January 13, 2024