Postponed from last year due to weather conditions, Africa’s largest football tournament is finally here. The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is being held in Ivory Coast this year and is currently well into its second week.
As the continent’s biggest names and teams collide to battle it out on the field, fans in the stands and on platforms like Betway have several questions in mind. Will Sadio Mané make Senegal the first nation to retain its AFCON Title? Or will Egypt or even Morocco pull an upset? Here is a brief preview of the tournament so far and what we can expect.
Groups and Current Standings
AFCON is being played in the regular format, with 24 teams competing in the group stage. 16 teams are expected to progress to the round of 16, the first two teams in every group plus four number 3s. You can keep up with the games and results on soccer Betway platforms, but the standings (as of 24th January 2024) are as follows:
Group A
Equatorial Guinea (7 pts), Nigeria (7), Ivory Coast (3), Guinea-Bissau (0)
Group B
Cape Verde (7), Egypt (3), Ghana (2), Mozambique (2)
Group C
Senegal (9), Cameroon (4), Guinea (4), Gambia (0)
Group D
Angola (7), Burkina Faso (4), Mauritania (3), Algeria (2)
Group E
Mali (4), South Africa (3), Namibia (3), Tunisia (1)
Group F
Morocco (4), DR Congo (2), Zambia (2), Tanzania (1)
Welcoming Ceremony and Predictions
The opening ceremony was one of the best in the tournament’s history. Full of pomp and color, the festival saw West African culture take over Alassane Ouattara Olympic stadium, with great performances from African icons like Egypt’s Mohamed Ramadan, Nigeria’s Yemi Alade, and Ivory Coast’s Magic System. The players themselves arrived in style, clad in African regalia.
First and Second Week Top Events
The first week of matches was filled with incredible moments, both on the field and in the stands. The hosts, Ivory Coast, delivered the opening everyone was hoping for, beating Guinea-Bissau in their first match. Over the next several days, fans were treated to the first hat trick of the tournament, scored by Equatorial Guinea’s Emilio Nsue. Namibia won their first-ever game in a match against Cape Verde that saw Manchester United forward Bebe put his best foot forward, quite literally. Arguably, the biggest upset of the week was Mo Salah’s first-half injury that saw him walk off the field and dash Egypt’s hopes.
The second week has been just as eventful, albeit challenging for the Ivorian hosts. Ivory Coast lost their second game to Nigeria, with the latter advancing to four points and later seven. Equatorial Guinea’s 4-2 win over Guinea Bissau saw them take an early and unexpected lead. Egypt continues to adjust without their star player, drawing 2-2 with Cape Verde. So far, South Africa has recorded the biggest win, with a resounding 4-0 victory against Namibia last Sunday.
Wrapping Up
Sadio Mané doesn’t seem to have slowed down since 2021 when he led Aliou Cisse’s boys to victory and the AFCON title. But between then and now, Morocco has also become the first African team to go past the World Cup quarter-finals, and Egypt’s Mo Salah has only gotten better. Nigeria also currently boasts one of the best strikers in the world, Victor Osimhen. It remains to be seen which of these African giants will be crowned the kings of football on the continent.
