By: Nana Kwame Bediako
Africa gears up, and the world gears up as the biggest showpiece on the African continent opens its doors on January 13, 2024, in Ivory Coast. The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2023 in Ivory Coast will be the 34th edition to be organised on African soil.
Ivory Coast was initially awarded the hosting rights in 2021 but had to wait an extra three years in order to host the tournament. Six different stadiums will be hosting the games in locations such as Abidjan, San Pedro Yamoussoukro, Korhogo, and Bouake.
The first ever AFCON was hosted in Sudan in 1957, where record holders Egypt triumphed over participating teams like Ethiopia and Sudan to win the first ever edition.
Samuel Eto’o from Cameroon is the top goal scorer in AFCON history with 18 goals, while Laurent Pokou of Ivory Coast sits second with 14.
In past editions, only 14 countries have emerged victorious by getting their hands on the trophy. Among the 14 countries, Egypt has won seven trophies, with Cameroon following up with five, as Ghana also holds four.
Ghana, heading into the AFCON 2023, is one of the countries in the tournament, making numerous finals and clinching the trophy on most occasions of their participation. Although it has been 41 years of waiting for a fifth trophy to enter Ghana, the Black Stars made history by making the finals on four consecutive occasions in 1963, 1965, 1968, and 1970. In those four finals, Ghana came out victorious in 1963 and 1965.
Will Ghana top Group B? The four-time champion will have to answer some tough questions from the record seven-time champion, Egypt, in order to make a great impression in Group B.
Egypt, in the 33rd edition, was bamboozled in the finals by Senegal, which puts some sense of revenge in them to do better in the 34th edition.
On the flip side, the African fairytale nation in the just-ended World Cup in Qatar, Morroco, grows out as the favourite to win the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations. The Atlas Lions will be looking forward to bettering their 1976 tournament triumph.
