WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT AFCON 2023
The highly anticipated football extravaganza in Africa is upon us, and all eyes are eagerly focused on Ivory Coast, the chosen host nation for the grand event. The prestigious 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has attracted the continent’s finest teams, who are set to vie for the coveted trophy.
Despite the tournament being staged in the year 2024, it officially retains the title of AFCON 2023. Originally slated for the summer months, the Confederation of African Football made the decision to postpone the competition due to weather-related concerns in the host country, leading to a rescheduling from January 13 to February 11, 2024. You can place your bet and win big with Bangbet
This 34th edition of the tournament, which traces its origins back to 1957 with just three participating teams, has now evolved into a colossal event featuring 24 sides engaged in fierce competition. A diverse array of nations including Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, and many more have converged in Ivory Coast for this football spectacle.
Divided into six groups, each consisting of four teams, the initial stage will witness thrilling clashes as teams battle to secure a spot in the knockout stage. The latter phase will feature the triumphant group winners and runners-up, along with the four best third-placed teams, intensifying the competition.
The climax of this football fiesta will unfold at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan, the largest city in Ivory Coast. All eyes will be on the star players, with Liverpool striker Mohamed Salah likely to captain Egypt, the most successful team in AFCON history, having clinched the title seven times but currently facing a six-time unsuccessful attempt at recapturing glory. 
Sadio Mane, plying his trade for Saudi Arabia’s Al-Nasr, will lead Senegal’s defense of their AFCON crown. Mane, instrumental in Senegal’s triumph in AFCON 2021, aims to replicate his success, having been named Player of the Tournament, while his teammate Edouard Mendy secured the Best Keeper Award.
The journey promises to be arduous, but as Mane conveyed on the CAF website, “We understand that it won’t be an easy task, but we will be there to give our best and strive to advance through each round.”
SuperSport, Africa’s premier sports broadcaster, has secured exclusive rights to broadcast all 52 matches, ensuring fans across the continent don’t miss a moment of the action. The tournament kicks off with the hosts, Ivory Coast, facing Guinea-Bissau on a Saturday filled with football fervor.
