Nigeria’s Super Eagles will face hosts Cote d’Ivoire in the group stage of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Cote d’Ivoire next year, www.aclsports.com reports.
At the draw ceremony for the continent’s biggest showpiece conducted at the newly built Parc des Expositions in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire’s Urban Centre on Thursday night, the former winners were drawn in group A alongside Guinea-Bissau and Equatorial Guinea.
Host nation Cote d’Ivoire, winners in 1992 and 2015, will aim to become the first host country to win the tournament since Egypt did back in 2006.
Meanwhile, Jose Peseiro’s Super Eagles are chasing a fourth crown and will open their group stage campaign against Equatorial Guinea on January 14, 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan before facing Cote d’Ivoire and Guinea Bissau on January 18 and January 22 respectively.
Guinea-Bissau, who were in the same qualifying group as Nigeria, defeated the Super Eagles in Abuja and will be keen to have a repeat of that at the finals in Cote d’Ivoire next year.
The 2023 AFCON is the third edition that will be played in its expanded 24-team format, meaning that up to three teams can advance from a group although the top two sides are the only automatic choices. Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Cote d’Ivoire are the favourites in Group A.
The 2023 AFCON will be the 34th edition of the tournament since its founding in 1957.
44 Different African Nations have now participated at the AFCON. Comoros and The Gambia were debutants at the last edition in Cameroon but there are no new comers in the Cote d’ Ivoire.
The competition’s trophy match will be decided on February 11, 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan.
FULL DRAWS
GROUP A
Cote d’Ivoire
Nigeria
Equatorial Guinea
Guinea Bissau
GROUP B
Egypt
Ghana
Cape Verde
Mozambique
GROUP C
Senegal
Cameroon
Guinea
The Gambia
GROUP D
Algeria
Burkina Faso
Mauritania
Angola
GROUP E
Tunisia
Mali
South Africa
Namibia
GROUP F
Morocco
Dr Congo
Zambia
Tanzania
