AFCON 2023 fixtures, results, schedule, bracket, group tables for Africa Cup of Nations in 2024

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Kalidou Koulibaly raises the AFCON 2021 trophy for winners Senegal
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The Africa Cup of Nations 2023 was actually held in early 2024, but it was as eagerly anticipated as ever with the top footballing nations from the continent all heading to the Ivory Coast.

The host nation were expected to compete with AFCON heavyweights such as Senegal, Egypt and Ghana, while Morocco were full of hope after a strong showing at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Of course, the Black Stars' campaign came to an early end when they were knocked out at the group stage, while Ivory Coast only just scraped through to the Round of 16.

After a month's engrossing action, Ivory Coast were celebrating on home soil after defeating Nigeria 2-1 in the final in Abidjan to become African champions for the third time.

The Sporting News has you covered when it comes to the tournament schedule, bracket and group standings, with results and fixtures updated below after every single game day.

MORE: AFCON top goal scorers: Who won the Golden Boot?

AFCON 2023 format and rules

There were 24 teams competing in this iteration of the Africa Cup of Nations, initially split into six groups of four.

With the knockout stages starting with a Round of 16 — and being one-off straight knockout ties — that means that, as well as the top two from each group, four of the best third-placed teams in the groups also got a knockout spot.

In the event that two teams were locked on the same points, their placing was determined on:

  1. Points in the head-to-head match between the two tied teams
  2. Goal difference in the group
  3. Goals scored overall in the group
  4. Drawing of lots.

In the knockout stages, games went to 30 minutes of extra time and then penalties if the teams could not be separated. There was also be a third-place playoff between the two losing semifinalists to determine who got the bronze medal.

AFCON fixtures, results, schedule and group tables

The qualification process for the tournament, which is known as AFCON 2023 but is taking place in 2024, was finalised by mid-September 2023. Host nation Ivory Coast were automatically placed in Group A, with the final qualifiers being Namibia.

Here's how the groups ended up being drawn, with results and standings updated regularly:

Group A table

Team GP W D L GD Pts
Equatorial Guinea (Q) 3 2 1 0 +6 7
Nigeria (Q) 3 2 1 0 +2 7
Ivory Coast (q) 3 1 0 2 -3 3
Guinea-Bissau 3 0 0 3 -5 0

Results/fixtures

  • Jan 13: Ivory Coast 2-0 Guinea-Bissau
  • Jan 14: Nigeria 1-1 Equatorial Guinea
  • Jan 18: Equatorial Guinea 4-2 Guinea-Bissau
  • Jan 18: Ivory Coast 0-1 Nigeria
  • Jan 22: Equatorial Guinea 4-0 Ivory Coast
  • Jan 22: Guinea-Bissau 0-1 Nigeria

Group B

Team GP W D L GD Pts
Cape Verde (Q) 3 2 1 0 +4 7
Egypt (Q) 3 0 3 0 0 3
Ghana 3 0 2 1 -1 2
Mozambique 3 0 2 1 -3 2

Results/fixtures

  • Jan 14: Egypt 2-2 Mozambique
  • Jan 14: Ghana 1-2 Cape Verde
  • Jan 18: Egypt 2-2 Ghana
  • Jan 19: Cape Verde 3-0 Mozambique
  • Jan 22: Cape Verde 2-2 Egypt
  • Jan 22: Mozambique 2-2 Ghana

Group C

Team GP W D L GD Pts
Senegal (Q) 3 3 0 0 +7 9
Cameroon  (Q) 3 1 1 1 -1 4
Guinea (q) 3 1 1 1 -1 4
Gambia 3 0 0 3 -5 0

Results/fixtures

  • Jan 15: Senegal 3-0 Gambia
  • Jan 15: Cameroon 1-1 Guinea
  • Jan 19: Senegal 3-1 Cameroon
  • Jan 19: Guinea 1-0 Gambia
  • Jan 23: Gambia 2-3 Cameroon
  • Jan 23: Guinea 0-2 Senegal

Group D

Team GP W D L GD Pts
Angola (Q) 3 2 1 0 +3 7
Burkina Faso (Q) 3 1 1 1 -1 4
Mauritania (q) 3 1 0 2 -1 3
Algeria 3 0 2 1 -1 2

Results/fixtures

  • Jan 15: Algeria 1-1 Angola
  • Jan 16: Burkina Faso 1-0 Mauritania
  • Jan 20: Algeria 2-2 Burkina Faso
  • Jan 20: Mauritania 2-3 Angola
  • Jan 23: Angola 2-0 Burkina Faso
  • Jan 23: Mauritania 1-0. Algeria

Group E

Team GP W D L GD Pts
Mali (Q) 3 1 2 0 2 5
South Africa (Q) 3 1 1 1 2 4
Namibia (q) 3 1 1 1 -3 4
Tunisia 3 0 2 1 -1 2

Results/fixtures

  • Jan 16: Tunisia 0-1 Namibia
  • Jan 16: Mali 2-0 South Africa
  • Jan 20: Tunisia 1-1 Mali
  • Jan 21: South Africa 4-0 Namibia
  • Jan 24: Namibia 0-0 Mali
  • Jan 24: South Africa 0-0 Tunisia

Group F

Team GP W D L GD Pts
Morocco (Q) 3 2 1 0 +4 7
DR Congo (Q) 3 0 3 0 0 3
Zambia 3 0 2 1 -1 2
Tanzania 3 0 2 1 -3 2

Results/fixtures

  • Jan 17: Morocco 3-0 Tanzania
  • Jan 17: DR Congo 1-1 Zambia
  • Jan 21: Zambia 1-1 Tanzania
  • Jan 21: Morocco 1-1 DR Congo
  • Jan 24: Tanzania 0-0 DR Congo
  • Jan 24: Zambia 0-1 Morocco

MORE: Who will win AFCON? Predictions and betting odds for tournament

AFCON knockout stage schedule and fixtures

Round of 16 fixtures

Date Time (ET) Match result
January 27 12 p.m. Angola 3-0 Namibia
January 27 3 p.m. Nigeria 2-0 Cameroon
January 28 12 p.m. Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Guinea
January 28 3 p.m. Egypt 1-1 (7-8 p) DR Congo
January 29 12 p.m. Cape Verde 1-0 Mauritania
January 29 3 p.m. Senegal 1-1 (4-5 p) Ivory Coast
January 30 12 p.m. Mali 2-1 Burkina Faso
January 30 3 p.m. Morocco 0-2 South Africa

Quarterfinals

Date Time (ET) Match
February 2 12 p.m. Nigeria 1-0 Angola
February 2 3 p.m. Guinea 1-3 DR Congo
February 3 12 p.m. Mali 1-2 Ivory Coast (aet)
February 3 3 p.m. Cape Verde 0-0 (1-2 P) South Africa

Semifinals 

Date Time (ET) Match
February 7 12 p.m. Nigeria 1-1 (4-2 P) South Africa
February 7 3 p.m. Ivory Coast 1-0 DR Congo

Third-place playoff

Date Time (ET) Match
February 10 3 p.m. South Africa 0-0 (6-5 P) DR Congo

Final

Date Time (ET) Match
February 11 3 p.m. Nigeria 1-2 Ivory Coast


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Dominic is a freelance content editor and writer for The Sporting News.
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