Football fans should get ready as teams prepare for The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers set to kick off this March. With the AFCON fixtures already established, it’s only a matter of time before we see the action on the field. In the meantime, you can place your bets to predict who will make it to the finals. AFCON is one of the most anticipated football events in Africa.
AFCON 2021, which was hosted in Cameroon, saw Senegal take the title. This year’s event, however, will be hosted by Cote d’Ivoire, but it’s yet to be seen if Senegal will keep the title. Since the winner of AFCON 2023 is yet to be determined, you can make your predictions early. If you register at a reputable betting site, you can bet on which of the teams will make it to the second round of the qualifiers.
What Is the Africa Cup of Nations Format?
Preliminary Round
In the preliminary round, the twelve lowest-ranked teams from the 54 entrants will face each other. In preparation for AFCON, the preliminary round took place from March 23 to 29, 2022. The twelve lowest-ranking teams were pulled from the FIFA World Rankings on December 23, 2021. They were seeded into two pots, with 6 teams in each pot.
Eritrea pulled out during the preliminary round on March 2, 2022. Also, the preliminary round had two rounds. The first was on March 23 and 24, and the second was on March 27 and 29. After the preliminary round, the first team to draw was, and other subsequent teams were placed in Group A, B, C, etc.
Group Stage
Then the next round after the preliminary round is the AFCON qualifiers. Here 52 teams will be grouped and ranked based on their points. For the AFCON 2023 qualifiers, four countries were already out, leaving 48 out of 52 teams.
Kenya and Zimbabwe were unable to participate due to their disqualification. Also, Morocco and Eritrea have pulled out as well. The 48 teams were placed in 12 groups, from A to L.
| Group | Team 1 | Team 2 | Team 3 | Team 4 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Nigeria | Sierra Leone | Guinea-Bissau | Sao Tome & Principe |
| B | Burkina Faso | Cape Verde | Togo | Eswatini |
| C | Cameroon | Kenya | Namibia | Burundi |
| D | Egypt | Guinea | Malawi | Ethiopia |
| E | Ghana | Madagascar | Angola | Central African Republic |
| F | Algeria | Uganda | Niger Republic | Tanzania |
| G | Mali | Congo Brazzaville | Gambia | South Sudan |
| H | Cote d’Ivoire | Zambia | Comoros Island | Lesotho |
| I | DR Congo | Gabon | Mauritania | Sudan |
| J | Tunisia | Equatorial Guinea | Libya | Botswana |
| K | Morocco | South Africa | Zimbabwe | Liberia |
| L | Senegal | Benin Republic | Mozambique | Rwanda |
During the qualification round, two top teams from each group will qualify for the finals. The first two rounds of the qualification matches took place in June 2022. The third and fourth rounds of the qualification matches will continue in March 2023. The games will be spread out for June and September.
Qualifying Draw
Twenty-four teams will proceed to the next stage, while Cote d’Ivoire, the host country, will get an automatic qualification. During the draw, the 12 groups will be narrowed down to six groups of four teams each. Twenty-four countries will participate in the draw in this 34th edition of AFCON.
Finals/Knockout Stage
The top two teams from each group and the top four highest-ranking teams will proceed to the next round. This round will consist of 16 teams, and then they will proceed to the knockout stage. The AFCON 2023 tournament will kick off around January/February 2024, but the qualification matches will continue in March this year.
The tournament was meant to take place in summer, but due to weather conditions in Cote d’Ivoire. The heavy rains, which usually begin between June and July, made it impossible for the country to host the event in the summer of 2023. Hence, the organisers have been forced to move the event to 2024.
Where to Find AFCON Predictions
If you’re considering betting on AFCON, you should check our predictions. With the AFCON fixtures set, you can get the latest forecast on the African teams here. Our tipsters offer the best football predictions on top competitions, including AFCON.
You can use our forecasts as a guide when you bet on AFCON fixtures. You’ll get predictions on various betting options ranging from match winner to overs/unders and even correct score predictions.
Where to Bet on AFCON 2023
You can bet on your favourite teams to win AFCON 2023 and the qualification matches. Here are some top-rated sportsbooks you should sign up with for the best AFCON 2023 markets.
Conclusion
On a final note, you can place your future bets on AFCON fixtures. Also, take advantage of our daily tips for the best football predictions. You can place bets on AFCON 2023 at the best betting sites in the country.
AFCON Fixtures FAQ
Cote d’Ivoire will host The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2023. The event is slated for January/February 2024, with qualification matches beginning in March 2023.
Yes, Ghana will participate in the qualification matches for AFCON 2023. Ghana is leading the group E category and will go against Angola on March 20.
Unfortunately, Uganda will not be part of the AFCON qualification matches this year. The team was disqualified by FIFA but has been reinstated but could not meet up to participate in AFCON 2023.
The first legs will begin from March to 28 August, while the second round will kick off from 2nd to 4th September.
South Africa falls under Group K in the AFCON qualifiers. Others in this group are Morocco, Zimbabwe, and Liberia.
