AFCON 2023: Fixtures, schedule and how it works

  • 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will be held at the start of 2024
  • The 34th edition of the continental competition is being hosted by Ivory Coast
  • Senegal are the holders after defeating Egypt on penalties in 2021
Ivory Coast were crowned AFCON champions on home soil
Ivory Coast were crowned AFCON champions on home soil / Anadolu/GettyImages
facebooktwitterreddit

The battle for continental supremacy is bound to be a fierce one when 24 teams compete in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Initially scheduled to take place last summer to avoid clashing with European club competitions, extreme weather conditions in the host country forced CAF into a rethink. While the tournament will now be held at the start of 2024, much to the dismay of clubs across Europe, the event has retained its original name much like Euro 2020 did despite taking place in 2021.

Sadio Mane inspired Senegal to their maiden AFCON triumph last time out, and it's hard to pick out a clear favourite for the upcoming iteration. Mohamed Salah, Mane, Victor Osimhen, Riyad Mahrez, and Achraf Hakimi will each be trying to propel their respective nations to glory in the Ivory Coast.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.


When does AFCON 2023 start?

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will start on 13 January 2024 with host Ivory Coast taking on Guinea-Bissau in the tournament opener.

The tournament will conclude less than a month later with the final scheduled for 11 February 2024.


Who is hosting AFCON 2023?

FBL-AFRICA-2023-QUALIFYING-CIV-COM
Ivory Coast will host the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations / ISSOUF SANOGO/GettyImages

Ivory Coast were initially expected to host the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, but Cameroon's failure to progress during hosting preparations for the 2019 tournament meant they hosted in 2021 instead.

As a result, Ivory Coast's hosting duties were pushed back two years.

Guinea, who were meant to host the 2023 AFCON, will now take centre stage in 2025.


Who has qualified for AFCON 2023?

Nation

Method of qualification

Previous best AFCON finish

Ivory Coast

Hosts / Group H runners-up

Champions (1992, 2015)

Morocco

Group K winners

Champions (1976)

Algeria

Group F winners

Champions (1990, 2019)

South Africa

Group K runners-up

Champions (1996)

Senegal

Group L winners

Champions (2021)

Burkina Faso

Group B winners

Runners-up (2013)

Tunisia

Group J winners

Champions (2004)

Egypt

Group D winners

Champions (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)

Zambia

Group H winners

Champions (2012)

Equatorial Guinea

Group J runners-up

Fourth place (2015)

Nigeria

Group A winners

Champions (1980, 1994, 2013)

Guinea-Bissau

Group A runners-up

Group stage (2017, 2019, 2021)

Cape Verde

Group B runners-up

Quarter-finals (2013)

Mali

Group G winners

Runners-up (1972)

Guinea

Group D runners-up

Runners-up (1976)

Ghana

Group E winners

Champions (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)

Angola

Group E runners-up

Quarter-finals (2008, 2010)

Tanzania

Group F runners-up

Group stage (1980, 2019)

Mozambique

Group L runners-up

Group stage (1986, 1996, 1998, 2010)

DR Congo

Group I winners

Champions (1968, 1974)

Mauritania

Group I runners-up

Group stage (2019, 2021)

Gambia

Group G runners-up

Quarter-finals (2021)

Cameroon

Group C winners

Champions (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)

Namibia

Group C runners-up

Group stage (1998, 2008, 2019)


AFCON 2023 groups & fixtures

Group A

Pos

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal difference

Points

1.

Equatorial Guinea

3

2

1

0

+6

7

2.

Nigeria

3

2

1

0

+2

7

3.

Ivory Coast

3

1

0

2

-3

3

4.

Guinea-Bissau

3

0

0

3

-5

0


Group A fixtures

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture / results

Venue

13/01/24 / 20:00

Ivory Coast 2-0 Guinea-Bissau

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

14/01/24 / 14:00

Nigeria 1-1 Equatorial Guinea

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

18/01/24 / 14:00

Equatorial Guinea 4-2 Guinea-Bissau

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

18/01/24 / 17:00

Ivory Coast 0-1 Nigeria

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

22/01/24 / 17:00

Equatorial Guinea 4-0 Ivory Coast

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

22/01/24 / 17:00

Guinea-Bissau 0-1 Nigeria

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan


Group B

Pos

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Loss

Goal difference

Points

1.

Cape Verde

3

2

1

0

+4

7

2.

Egypt

3

0

3

0

0

3

3.

Ghana

3

0

2

1

-1

2

4.

Mozambique

3

0

2

1

-3

2


Group B fixtures

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture / results

Venue

14/01/24 / 17:00

Egypt 2-2 Mozambique

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

14/01/24 / 20:00

Ghana 1-2 Cape Verde

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

18/01/24 / 20:00

Egypt 2-2 Ghana

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

19/01/24 / 14:00

Cape Verde 3-0 Mozambique

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

22/01/24 / 20:00

Mozambique 2-2 Ghana

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

22/01/24 / 20:00

Cape Verde 2-2 Egypt

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan


Group C

Pos

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal difference

Points

1.

Senegal

3

3

0

0

+7

9

2.

Cameroon

3

1

1

1

-1

4

3.

Guinea

3

1

1

1

-1

4

4.

Gambia

3

0

0

3

-5

0


Group C fixtures

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

15/01/24 / 14:00

Senegal 3-0 Gambia

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro

15/01/24 / 17:00

Cameroon 1-1 Guinea

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro

19/01/24 / 17:00

Senegal 3-1 Cameroon

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro

19/01/24 / 20:00

Guinea 1-0 Gambia

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro

23/01/24 / 17:00

Guinea 0-2 Senegal

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro

23/01/24 / 17:00

Gambia 2-3 Cameroon

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké


Group D

Pos

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal difference

Points

1.

Angola

3

2

1

0

+3

7

2.

Burkina Faso

3

1

1

1

-1

4

3.

Mauritania

3

1

0

2

-1

3

4.

Algeria

3

0

2

1

-1

2


Group D fixtures

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

15/01/24 / 20:00

Algeria 1-1 Angola

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké

16/01/24 / 14:00

Burkina Faso 1-0 Mauritania

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké

20/01/24 / 14:00

Algeria 2-2 Burkina Faso

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké

20/01/24 / 17:00

Mauritania 2-3 Angola

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké

23/01/24 / 20:00

Angola 2-0 Burkina Faso

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro

23/01/24 / 20:00

Mauritania 1-0 Algeria

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké


Group E

Pos

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal difference

Points

1.

Mali

3

1

2

0

+2

5

2.

South Africa

3

1

1

1

+2

4

3.

Namibia

3

1

1

1

-3

4

4.

Tunisia

3

0

2

1

-1

2


Group E fixtures

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

16/01/24 / 17:00

Tunisia 0-1 Namibia

Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo

16/01/24 / 20:00

Mali 2-0 South Africa

Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo

20/01/24 / 20:00

Tunisia 1-1 Mali

Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo

21/01/24 / 20:00

South Africa 4-0 Namibia

Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo

24/01/24 / 17:00

South Africa 0-0 Tunisia

Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo

24/01/24 / 17:00

Namibia 0-0 Mali

Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro


Group F

Pos

Team

Played

Won

Drawn

Lost

Goal difference

Points

1.

Morocco

3

2

1

0

+4

7

2.

DR Congo

3

0

3

0

0

3

3.

Zambia

3

0

2

1

0

2

4.

Tanzania

3

0

2

1

-3

2


Group F fixtures

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

17/01/24 / 17:00

Morocco 3-0 Tanzania

Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro

17/01/24 / 20:00

DR Congo 1-1 Zambia

Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro

21/01/24 / 14:00

Morocco 1-1 DR Congo

Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro

21/01/24 / 17:00

Zambia 1-1 Tanzania

Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro

24/01/23 / 20:00

Tanzania 0-0 DR Congo

Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo

24/01/23 / 20:00

Zambia 0-1 Morocco

Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro


AFCON 2023 knockout stages

Last 16

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

27/01/24 - 17:00

Angola 3-0 Namibia

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké

27/01/24 - 20:00

Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

28/01/24 - 17:00

Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Guinea

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

28/01/24 - 20:00

Egypt 1-1 (7-8p) DR Congo

Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro

29/01/24 - 17:00

Cape Verde 1-0 Mauritania

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

29/01/24 - 20:00

Senegal 1-1 (5-6p) Ivory Coast

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro

30/01/24 - 17:00

Mali 2-1 Burkina Faso

Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo

30/01/24 - 20:00

Morocco 0-2 South Africa

Laurent Pokou Stadium, San-Pédro


Quarter-finals

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

02/02/24 - 17:00

Nigeria 1-0 Angola

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan

02/02/24 - 20:00

DR Congo 3-1 Guinea

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan

03/02/24 - 17:00

Mali 1-2 Ivory Coast

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké

03/02/24 - 20:00

Cape Verde 0-0 (1-2p) South Africa

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro


Semi-finals

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

07/02/24 - 17:00

Nigeria 1-1 (4-2p) South Africa

Stade de la Paix, Bouaké

07/02/24 - 20:00

Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan


Third-place play-off

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

10/02/24 - 20:00

South Africa 0-0 (6-5p) DR Congo

Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan


Final

Date / Kick-off Time (GMT)

Fixture

Venue

11/02/24 - 20:00

Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan


What is the format for AFCON 2023?

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will follow the same format as its previous two iterations. Since 2019, 24 teams have competed in the tournament and have been divided into six groups of four.

A total of 16 teams will then progress into the knockout stage, with the four best-performing third-place teams joining the winners and runners-up of each group.

A traditional round robin then ensues until a winner is crowned. All knockout ties are played over one leg, with extra-time and penalties deciding the contest should the scores be level after 90 minutes.


How to watch AFCON 2023 on TV and live stream

Sky Sports held broadcasting rights to the 2021 AFCON, but there is not yet any news on who will take the rights for the upcoming tournament in the UK.

As it stands, beIN Sports are the only confirmed English-speaking broadcaster of the 2023 AFCON.


AFCON 2023 round dates

Round

Date

Group stage

13/01/24 - 24/01/24

Last 16

27/01/24 - 30/01/24

Quarter-finals

02/02/24 - 03/02/24

Semi-finals

07/02/24

Third place play-off

10/02/24

Final

11/02/24


READ MORE ABOUT AFCON 2023 AS SENEGAL LOOK TO DEFEND THEIR TITLE

manual