Ivory Coast is looking forward to the African Cup of Nations for the first time in decades. The tournament is scheduled to begin on January 13, after being postponed due to summer weather concerns. The tournament was originally supposed to be held last summer to avoid conflicts with European leagues. The tropical rainy season is usually at its highest in June-July, so we chose January when temperatures usually rise above 20 degrees. This important event is a competition for 24 teams ready to conquer the continent.
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What is the African Cup of Nations?
The African Cup of Nations (Afcon) is a biennial football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football. This year it will be held in Cรดte d’Ivoire, for the second time in history and for the first time since 1984. The current champion is Senegal. The tournament’s mascot is an elephant footballer named Akwaba, which means “welcome” in the Baule language. The ball, created by Puma, is named Pokou in honor of Laurent Poku, the Ivorian striker who scored five goals in one game at the 1970 tournament.
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) will take place in Cote d’Ivoire from 13 January to 11 February.
Which stadiums will host the tournament?
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will use six stadiums to host 52 matches. Two of them are located in Abidjan, one each in Bouakรฉ, Korhogo, San Pedro and Yamoussoukro.
The Alassane Ouattara Stadium (Abidjan) seats 60,000 people.
The Fรฉlix Houphouรซt Boigny Stadium (Abidjan) seats 33,000 spectators.
The Stade de la Paix (Bouakรฉ) can accommodate 40,000 people.
Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium (Korogo) has a capacity of 20,000 spectators.
The Laurent Poku Stadium (San Pedro) also seats 20,000 people.
Charles Conan Bunny Stadium (Yamoussoukro) is designed for the same number of spectators – 20,000.
Afcon2023 participating teams
The tournament features 24 teams and marks the first time since 2015 that no debuting country will be on the entry list. 17 teams that took part in the previous tournament will return to the tournament in 2021. Here is the list of participating teams: Ivory Coast, Morocco, Algeria, South Africa, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Tunisia, Egypt, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mali, Guinea, Ghana, Angola , Tanzania, Mozambique, DR Congo, Mauritania, Gambia, Cameroon, Namibia.
Top 5 players to watch in the tournament
African teams have real football stars who will be watched by the whole world. Let’s look at the 5 main players who will attract attention to themselves and their teams.
Mohamed Salah (Egypt)
Salah, known as the “Egyptian King” at Liverpool, has been in excellent form for a long time. His influence has helped the Reds climb to the top of the Premier League table, especially after a brilliant 4-2 win over Newcastle. Salah’s in-game confidence like this could be the key to Egypt’s success in this tournament.
Mohammed Kudus (Ghana)
Mohammed Kudus, the West Ham midfielder, qualified for the tournament and his appearance in the Premier League has brought Ghana into the spotlight in recent months. He initially faced challenges getting game time following his move from Ajax, but went on to become a key player for the London club. His excellent form was a catalyst for the Hammers’ success as Kudus propelled the team into the top 6 and into the Europa League knockout stages.
Serou Guirassi (Guinea)
Serou Guirassy, the 27-year-old Guinea international striker, has become the focus of attention following his impressive start to the Bundesliga with Stuttgart. His statistics in 16 matches in different tournaments are impressive – 19 goals scored, which was an important contribution to his club’s fight for a place in the Champions League. This superb spell of form has seen a number of Premier League clubs take a keen interest in him.
Victor Boniface (Nigeria)
The 22-year-old striker is thriving in the Bundesliga with Bayer Leverkusen. His contribution to the team this season has been astounding, with 16 goals and eight assists in 23 appearances. The goalscoring skills allowed the team to reach the top of the table and the 1/8 finals of the Europa League. As part of the Nigerian national team, he formed a powerful attack alongside Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman.
Wilfried Singo (Ivory Coast)
As for Wilfried Singo, the Ivory Coast right-back, he has been a revelation since joining Monaco from Torino. His performances have drawn attention to his stellar form and he will no doubt be the subject of interest from major clubs. The team is not built on past stars, but on players like Shingo, creating a new future for itself.
