The draw for the Africa Cup of Nations 2024 has taken place, setting the stage for some thrilling group stage matchups. African champions Senegal have been drawn with Cameroon, while record-winners Egypt will face old rivals Ghana in the tournament hosted in the Ivory Coast.
The host nation, Ivory Coast, will be tested against Nigeria in Group A, which promises to be a competitive group. Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau complete the lineup. The Ivorian fans will be hopeful of a top-two finish against the comparatively lighter opposition.
Egypt, with a record seven Cup of Nations titles, will be in Group B, alongside Ghana, the Cape Verde Islands, and Mozambique. It’s a group with rich history, as Egypt’s last tournament win in 2010 came at the expense of Ghana’s Black Stars.
Morocco, the 1976 champions, were drawn in Group F alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania, and Zambia. The group seems relatively comfortable for Morocco, who are hoping to secure their second tournament win.
World Cup semi-finalists Morocco seem to have a straightforward path to the knockout stages as they find themselves in Group D with Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Angola.
The tournament will be hosted at six venues, including newly built stadiums in Abidjan, Korhogo, San Pedro, and Yamoussoukro. Originally scheduled for June, it was postponed by six months due to concerns over the rainy season in the region.
This is the third Africa Cup of Nations finals with 24 teams, following the 2019 edition in Egypt and the tournament hosted in Cameroon in early 2022.
Group Draw:
Group A: Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea Bissau
Group B: Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde Islands, Mozambique
Group C: Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, Gambia
Group D: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Angola
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, Namibia
Group F: Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, Tanzania
