The 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations begins on Saturday and runs until February 11, in Ivory Coast, with a record prize pool of 6.4 million euros at stake for the winner.
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It’s kick-off time! Scheduled for June 2023, the African Cup of Nations finally begins on Saturday January 13 to avoid the rainy season in Ivory Coast. In this country, which has not hosted the event since 1984, Senegal is putting its title back on the line. Format, favorites… We take stock of the competition, the final of which will take place on February 11 at the Alassane Ouattara stadium in Abidjan , with 6.4 million euros at stake for the winning team, a record.
24 teams at the start and a format similar to the Euro
As in the last three editions, the CAN takes place with 24 teams, divided into six groups of four. In a format identical to the Euro, the first two in each group will qualify for the round of 16, as will the four best third-placed teams. Among the six groups, Pool C is the “group of death” with Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia. In 2022, all these teams had qualified for the eighth.
Senegal, Morocco and Algeria among the favorites
Despite a tricky group stage, Senegal, defending champion, is the favorite. After reaching the round of 16 of the 2022 World Cup, Aliou Cissé’s players did not suffer a defeat during the CAN qualifiers (four wins, two draws), proof of their form still there. . The first African nation to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, Morocco will also be one to watch, as will Algeria. In a series of ten matches without defeat, the Fennecs can boast of having one of the strongest squads in the competition, notably with Ismaël Bennacer (AC Milan), Ramy Bensebaini (Dortmund) and Nabil Bentaleb (Lille).
Finalist of the last edition of the CAN, Egypt will have revenge to take while Ivory Coast, at home, could add a third star to its list of achievements. To do this, the French coach of the Elephants, Jean-Louis Gasset, relied on experienced players like Sébastien Haller (Dortmund), Nicolas Pépé (Trabzonspor) and Seko Fofana (Al Nassr FC).
Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané as leaders of expected stars
Many stars are expected in Ivory Coast, starting with Mohamed Salah. Always solid with Liverpool (14 goals in 20 Premier League games), the Egyptian striker will be the spearhead of his team. Senegal will be led by striker Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr FC), second for the Ballon d’Or in 2022.
Among the headliners, we also find the Moroccans Yassine Bounou, 13th for the Ballon d’Or in 2023 and the PSG defender, Achraf Hakimi. Victor Osimhen, Nigerian striker from Naples, will also be one to watch. At the beginning of December, he was voted best African player of the year 2023. An award received in 2016 by the Algerian Riyad Mahrez. Arriving in the summer of 2023 in Saudi Arabia, the former Red Devil will experience his fifth CAN with the Fennecs.