Unusually, perhaps, for Africa’s top football competition, the road to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations has been relatively smooth, but don’t expect a steady increase in competition to lead to a frosty campaign.
Indeed, while there are signs that things are changing off the pitch for African sport, the energy, dynamism and unpredictability that make the Cup of Nations such an enticing spectacle should be as present as ever.
Of course, as is customary in the build-up to AFCON, there was a now standard change of date. The tournament originally scheduled for June and July 2023 – to align the continental calendar with European football – was ruled out six months after Ivory Coast was deemed unfeasible to host during the rainy season.
Are the hosts ready?
The slogan of the tournament is ‘Akwaba’ – meaning ‘Welcome’ in the Baule language spoken in the administrative capital Yamoussoukro and the surrounding area – and the Ivorians are running a hospitality campaign.
The tournament will be hosted across six stages in five cities – including two in Abidjan – with hopes that the €800 million investment in infrastructure will enable Africa’s 28th largest country to take on the significant challenge of hosting the expanded 24-team tournament.
Steps will also be taken to ensure there is no repeat of the Stade d’Olembe disaster that overshadowed the last tournament in Cameroon, which left eight fans dead, although progress on some construction sites across the country will continue until inception. away from.
Beyond the AFCON, the country’s football community – which has struggled to put behind its differences since Didier Drogba’s failed presidential bid in April 2022 – will be hoping the investment will breathe new life into the domestic sporting scene.
Similarly, increased investment in the country’s road network and airports should have a wider impact on the general population and national trade.
CAF boss Motsepe will not be spared this time
With South African billionaire Dr. With Patrice Motsepe being elected president less than 10 months before the last AFCON in Cameroon, the tournament represented something of a freebie for him and he was able – to some extent – to distance himself from some of the complications that occurred. this competition.
This time, it’s a different story. He has had almost three years at the helm of African football’s governing body and has had plenty of opportunities to mold the continent’s beloved game in his own image.
CAF’s revamped media systems and visual identity, as well as new competitions such as the African Schools Football Championship and the African Football Championship, may prove to be foundations for a successful future for the organization in the coming years, but for now, the triumphant management of an AFCON remains the basic standard.
It remains to be seen how present and influential Gianni Infantino will be during the proceedings. Motsepe’s close relationship with the FIFA chief continues to be scrutinized amid concerns that the continent’s football is losing its autonomy, although the South African’s insistence that AFCON should remain a biennial event (rather than every four years) was a clear area where he diverged from Infantino.
AFCON may remain an area where Motsepe’s – and Africa’s – dominance can remain undiminished.
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Who are Iñaki Williams favorites to win the AFCON?
Ghana’s Inaki Williams talks about who the favorites are to win the Africa Cup of Nations.
Can Senegal defend their title?
On the pitch at least, fans should get their money’s worth, not least because – in a unique situation for recent Nations Cups – three historic African generations, each relatively in their prime, are all eyeing the continent’s biggest prize.
Reigning champions Senegal, 2019 champions Algeria and World Cup heroes Morocco will each believe they can cap off a season of success by lifting gold in Ivory Coast.
Senegal have emerged as Africa’s outstanding powerhouse in recent years, with talent emerging from prestigious academies such as Diambars and Generation Foot, before moving on to European football and the senior team.
They are currently the holders of the African Nations Championship, U-20 AFCON, U-17 AFCON, have qualified for back-to-back World Cups for the first time in their history and reached the knockout stages in Qatar.
They are also, of course, the reigning champions and the country’s best generation – surpassing even the 2002 heroes – are rightly aiming to become the first team to retain their title since Egypt in 2010.
Under Aliu Cisse they are a settled and united team, although will the impact of veterans like Sadio Mane, Kalidou Koulibaly, Edouard Mendy be diminished after their move to Saudi football?
The North African teams are the strongest threat
Algeria have a point to prove, having enjoyed continental success at the 2019 Cup of Nations with their golden generation before embarking on a record 26-match unbeaten run. However, it all unraveled at the last tournament in Cameroon, where they were stunned by Equatorial Guinea, failed to beat Sierra Leone and crashed out in the group stage.
The insult was added to the very serious injury as he was sent off by Cameroon in the World Cup qualifiers, losing badly to Qatar. However, with manager Djamel Belmadi and 12 of that squad still present this time around – including Riyad Mahrez – they have the chance to prove they have overcome the problems of recent years.
Then there’s Morocco, perennial characters in the Cup of Nations – they haven’t won since 1976 – but are now imbued with new belief after reaching the semi-finals at the World Cup in Qatar.
This campaign showed the unity and tactical mind of the team under Walid Regragui as they negotiated some ominous knockout games while allowing some of their own stars to shine.
To cement their place as Africa’s dominant force by following up their World Cup heroics with a Cup of Nations victory would be a worthy testament to this talented collection, but if there’s one thing Morocco do well, it’s more flattering to deceive on the continental high table.
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Why AFCON could be ‘doom and gloom’ for Nigeria
Ed Dove discusses the expectations for Nigeria’s national team at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Beyond these three, the field seems open. Cameroon, Ghana and Nigeria all have huge positives but significant setbacks – and not just rising managerial tensions – while hosts Ivory Coast can be quietly confident they can channel the home support to win a first crown since 2015.
If the Elephants’ midfield of Franck Kessié, Ibrahim Sangaré and Seko Fofana can be confirmed and if Sébastien Haller finds his scoring, then the West Africans could be clicking in front of their own fans.
The likes of Mali, Burkina Faso and DR Congo will enjoy their dark horse status, while could any of the unknown teams emulate Gambia’s run to the quarter-finals two years ago? Zambia will be hoping to mark their return with a deep run in the competition under Avram Grant, while Equatorial Guinea are another side that know how to be more than the sum of their parts.
But how can fans watch all this action?
The handling of television rights remains a concern, with the “new kid on the block” – Togo-registered broadcaster New World TV – sweeping up the lion’s share of broadcasting rights in continental Europe.
Multi-option SuperSport TV announced a week before the competition that it would not broadcast any AFCON games, only to be reversed – after a deal was struck with New World TV behind the scenes – by CEO Rendani Ramovha announced on Wednesday (three days before the opening game) that they would show all 52 games live.
It’s a positive result, but at what cost, with flip-flopping not a good look for CAF or the tournament’s sponsors.