The African Cup of Nations 2024, the biggest football competition in the African continent, started on January 13 in Ivory Coast. 24 teams are competing for the coveted trophy, among them seven Arab teams: Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia, Morocco, Senegal, Guinea and Mauritania.
The Arab teams have a rich history in the competition, having won 11 titles out of 33, and reached the final match 19 times. Algeria is the current holder of the title, after beating Senegal by a single goal in the final of 2021. Egypt is the most crowned with the title, with seven titles, the last one in 2010. Tunisia and Morocco achieved the title once each, in 2004 and 1976 respectively.
In the first round, the Arab teams were distributed into three groups, which are:
- Group A: It includes Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. This group is considered one of the strongest groups in the tournament, as it includes three former champions, as well as Guinea-Bissau, which has some talented players. Ivory Coast and Nigeria are the most likely candidates to qualify for the second round, but Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau are capable of creating surprises.
- Group C: It includes Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia. This group is considered one of the most balanced groups in the tournament, as it includes Senegal and Cameroon, who are among the strongest African teams, as well as Guinea and Gambia, who have fast and skillful players. Senegal and Cameroon are the most favored to qualify for the second round, but Guinea and Gambia cannot be ignored.
- Group F: It includes Morocco, Zambia, Tanzania and Namibia. This group is considered one of the easiest groups in the tournament, as it includes Morocco, which is one of the candidates to win the title, as well as three teams that suffer from lack of experience and level. Morocco is the strongest candidate to qualify for the second round, while Zambia, Tanzania and Namibia will compete for the second place.
The first round will continue until January 24, 2024, and the first and second of each group, as well as four teams as the best third, will qualify for the second round. The second round will start on January 28, 2024, followed by the quarter-finals on February 1, 2024, the semi-finals on February 5, 2024, and the final match on February 11, 2024.
What do you think of the groups of the Arab teams in the first round? Which Arab team do you expect to reach the final? And who is the Arab player that you expect to shine? Share your opinion in the comments.
