For the next 30 days, the World attention will shift to Africa. Not because of any political misadventures, nor disaster nor corruption nor maladministration. But this time it will be purely on football, where African youths will display their skills, football artistry for the world to see.

 

 Many big club managers and scouts will throng venues of the matches in Cote D'ivore and many mega businesses will be tidied up at the event, and lives of many African youths will not remain the same again after the tournament. 

 

What is today known as The Africa Cup of Nations tournament, (AFCON), evolved concurrently with the formation of the Confederation of African Football (CAF)  by four nations in 1957 namely Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa, and Sudan.

 

The first AFCON was held that year but South Africa’s policy of apartheid prompted their exclusion meaning there were just three teams in the competition. 

 

Egypt were the first winners, beating Sudan 2-1 in the semi-final and then Ethiopia 4-0 in the final.

 

Egypt, under the guise of United Arab Republic following its short-term union with Syria, would win again in 1959, but from the 1962 edition, qualifiers were introduced into the tournament. 

 

The tournament slowly expanded thereafter. From four nations in 1962, six competed in 1963 and 1965, but soon eight became the norm.

 

One of the many beauties of AFCON is its unpredictability. That remains as much the case now as it was when just eight nations played in the tournament.

 

From 1968 to 1990 inclusive, there were no fewer than 10 different winners with Ghana the first repeat winners (1978 and 1982) in that period. 

 

Countries that have won the trophy and the numbers of times they have won are as follows : Egypt -7 - (1957, 1959, 1986, 1988, 2006, 2008, 2010), Cameroon -5- (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017), Ghana 4 (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982), Nigeria -3- (1980, 1994, 2013), Algeria -2 - (1990, 2019), Cote d'Ivoire -2- (1992, 2015), DR Congo -2- (1968, 1974), Congo -1- (1972), Ethiopia -1 - (1962), Morocco -1- (1976), Senegal- 1 - (2021), 

South Africa -1 - (1996), 

Sudan- 1- (1970), Tunisia -1- (2004), Zambia -1 - (2012)

 

CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2023 is taking place in 2024 because of the Covid-19 of 2020 which disrupted many activities World wide. 

 

AFCON has become a global event that discussions during this period would be which country will emerge Champions. 

 

The CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d'Ivoire 2023, is the 34th edition of Africa's biennial national men's team football competition.

 

The tournament has come to capture the imagination like few others. Its vibrancy unmatched. Its stage helping catapult careers into the realms of superstardom.

 

And now it is bigger than ever, featuring 24 nations after a qualifying campaign involving 54 teams, AFCON has expanded in size while simultaneously reaching a wider audience with it's biennial events – a far cry from its origins more than 60 years ago.

 

 African Football is no doubt in its golden age. Perhaps, with the 2023 edition, being held in early 2024 in Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast), may just be the latest chapter of the continent's growth on the world scene. This is coming after Morocco made history by reaching the World Cup semi-finals in 2022. It is just a matter of time before an African side becomes FIFA world cup champions. The 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations maybe the starting point. Only time will tell.