In the next weeks Box 18 will be counting down on the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations holding in Cote d'ivore from 13th January to 11th February. 

We are also aware that the draws for the tournament was held on the 12th October 2023, and the 24 countries were grouped into four, and two teams are expected to emerged. 

Box 18 will reviewing the groups on weekly basis, and rating their chances of winning the coveted trophy on 0-10. We shall also be looking at their players that will excel at the tournament, which is the biggest in Africa. 

This week, we are starting from Group A where we have host country Cote d'ivore, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau 

COTE D'IVORE (ELEPHANTS) 

The Elephants of Côte d'Ivoire, are the host of the African Cup of Nations for the second time after hosting the first time in 1984.

Until 2005, their greatest accomplishment was winning the 1992 African Cup of Nations against Ghana on penalties at the Stade Léopold Sédar Senghor in Dakar, Senegal. 

Their second success came in 2015, again defeating Ghana on penalties in Bata, Equatorial Guinea. 
Currently, the team is ranked 50 while their highest ranking was on 12th in February 2013. 

They were at the World Cup in 2006, 2010, 2014. Cote d'ivore was AFCON champion 1992, 2015.

 In the ranking of possible winners of the 2024 AFCON, their chances is rated 4 over 10.

EQUATORIAL GUINEA (INZANGA NACIONAL) 

Equatorial Guinea national team  has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup, but has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations on four occasions, the first two times as hosts (in 2012 and 2015). They reached finished in fourth place in 2015, and reached the quarter-finals in 2012 and 2021. 
The rating of their chance of winning the AFCON is two over ten.

GUINEA BISSAU (DJURTUS) 

The Guinea-Bissau national team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cups but qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations four times, making their debut in 2017. Their chances of winning the 2024 AFCON is one over ten.

NIGERIA (SUPER EAGLES) 

The Nigeria national football team  are coming into the 2024 AFCON as one of the favorites. 

They are three-times Africa Cup of Nations winners, with their most recent title in 2013. In April 1994, the Nigerian national football team was ranked 5th in the FIFA rankings, the highest FIFA ranking position ever achieved by an African football team. Throughout history, the team has qualified for six of the last eight FIFA World Cups, missing only the 2006 and 2022 editions. They have reached the round of 16 on three occasions. Their first World Cup appearance was the USA 1994 edition. Current FIFA ratings, Nigeria is number 40 as at 21 September 2023. They have appeared in 20 AFCON first in 1963. They have won the AFCON three times, in  1980, 1994, 2013. Their chances of  winning in Cote d'ivore is six over ten.