The Africa Cup of Nations, also known as AFCON, is the main international men’s football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and was first held in 1957. Since 1968, it has been held every two years. The competition features national teams from countries affiliated to CAF.
The Africa Cup of Nations is one of the biggest sporting events on the African continent. It enjoys huge popularity among African fans and players alike. The tournament has gone through changes over the years, including expansions to the number of teams taking part. But how does a country actually qualify for the AFCON?
Qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations is open to the national teams of all CAF member associations. For the 2019 edition, there were 52 countries vying for the 24 places available at the finals tournament. The qualification process takes place over the course of two years through the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
The qualifiers are organized into several groups of four teams each. The groups are drawn by CAF ahead of the qualifiers. Each group plays home and away round-robin matches spanning about two years. The top two teams in each group qualify automatically to the Cup of Nations finals.
Qualification Format and Changes
The qualification format and number of slots has changed over time to accommodate the growing number of African countries taking part. Here is an overview of the qualification format evolution:
- 1957 to 1968 – Straight knock-out ties between nations
- 1968 to 1980 – Eight groups of four teams, winners qualify
- 1980 to 1988 – Three rounds of knock-out ties
- 1990 to 1992 – Nine groups of four teams, group winners and best runner-up qualify
- 1996 to 2002 – Double round-robin group phase, winners qualify
- 2004 to 2012 – Twelve groups of four teams, top two qualify
- 2013 to present – Thirteen groups of four teams, top two qualify
The expansion to 24 teams at the finals tournament starting in 2019 led to an increase in qualifying groups from 12 to 13. This enabled more African countries to contend for a place at the Cup of Nations.
Number of Teams Qualifying by Year
As the Africa Cup of Nations has expanded, so has the number of teams that qualify from the qualification stage. Here is a summary of qualified teams by tournament year:
| Year | Teams at Finals | Teams Qualifying |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | 3 | 3 |
| 1959 | 3 | 3 |
| 1962 | 9 | 9 |
| 1963 | 3 | 3 |
| 1965 | 6 | 6 |
| 1968 | 8 | 8 |
| 1970 | 8 | 8 |
| 1972 | 8 | 8 |
| 1974 | 8 | 8 |
| 1976 | 8 | 8 |
| 1978 | 8 | 8 |
| 1980 | 8 | 8 |
| 1982 | 8 | 8 |
| 1984 | 8 | 8 |
| 1986 | 8 | 8 |
| 1988 | 8 | 8 |
| 1990 | 8 | 9 |
| 1992 | 12 | 12 |
| 1994 | 12 | 12 |
| 1996 | 16 | 16 |
| 1998 | 16 | 16 |
| 2000 | 16 | 16 |
| 2002 | 16 | 16 |
| 2004 | 16 | 24 |
| 2006 | 16 | 24 |
| 2008 | 16 | 24 |
| 2010 | 16 | 24 |
| 2012 | 16 | 24 |
| 2013 | 16 | 24 |
| 2015 | 16 | 24 |
| 2017 | 16 | 24 |
| 2019 | 24 | 24 |
| 2021 | 24 | 24 |
As shown in the table, the number of teams qualifying has gradually increased in line with expansions to the Africa Cup of Nations finals tournament. The switch to a two group round-robin phase in 1996 allowed 16 teams to qualify out of CAF’s membership. Further expansions in the 2000s raised this number to 24 qualifying teams.
Regional Spread of Qualifying Teams
The 24 teams that qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations tend to come from all regions of the continent. But some regions have been more successful than others in recent tournaments. Here is a look at regional teams that qualified for 2019 AFCON:
- North Africa (6 teams) – Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Mauritania, Libya
- West Africa (9 teams) – Senegal, Nigeria, Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Ivory Coast, Benin, Cameroon, Burkina Faso
- Central Africa (3 teams) – DR Congo, Congo, Gabon
- East Africa (4 teams) – Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe
- Southern Africa (2 teams) – Namibia, Madagascar
This breakdown shows the dominance of West African teams, which had 9 of the 24 qualifying spots. North Africa also did well with 6 qualifiers. Central Africa, East Africa and Southern Africa lagged behind with 2 to 4 teams each.
The regional imbalance is partly due to population and economic factors. West Africa has more countries with larger populations, which provides a bigger talent pool. North African nations also tend to be wealthier and have better training facilities and resources.
Successful Qualifying Countries
While many countries have qualified for AFCON over the decades, some have been more consistent in their qualification than others. Here are some of the most successful qualifying countries in recent tournaments:
- Ivory Coast – Qualified for 7 straight tournaments between 1994 and 2019
- Nigeria – Missed only 2 tournaments since 1982
- Cameroon – Qualified for 18 of the last 20 tournaments
- Ghana – Qualified for the last 7 AFCON tournaments
- Egypt – Qualified for 24 out of 32 total AFCON editions
- Tunisia – Qualified for 15 of the last 18 tournaments
Consistency in qualifying comes from strong grassroots development, domestic leagues, resources and football culture. Countries that heavily invest in the sport tend to repeatedly make it to the Africa Cup of Nations.
Number of Debutants by Year
While there are many regular AFCON qualifiers, each tournament also sees teams making their debut appearance. The expansion to 24 teams has allowed more first-time qualifiers recently. Here’s a look at AFCON debutants by year:
| Year | Number of Debuting Teams |
|---|---|
| 2013 | 1 – Cape Verde |
| 2015 | 2 – Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania |
| 2017 | 0 |
| 2019 | 3 – Burundi, Mauritania, Madagascar |
The 2019 AFCON saw the most debuts in recent tournaments with 3 first-time qualifiers. This shows the expanded tournament is creating opportunities for more countries.
How Qualification Affects FIFA Rankings
Qualifying for the AFCON can provide teams a boost in their FIFA world rankings. FIFA uses various criteria to rank men’s national teams globally, including match performance and importance of the competition.
Winning in AFCON qualifiers against closely matched opponents can improve a team’s point totals. Qualifying for the prestigious tournament also meets the criteria for a more important match, compared to an international friendly.
For example, Madagascar skyrocketed up the FIFA rankings after qualifying for 2019 AFCON. The team gained over 100 places, jumping from 190th in 2018 to 108th in 2019.
However, AFCON qualifying success does not guarantee a FIFA ranking boost. Teams like Tunisia and Senegal remained largely static in the rankings despite qualifying.
Preparing for Qualification
For teams hoping to qualify for future Africa Cup of Nations tournaments, thorough preparation will be needed across several areas:
- Coaching – Having an experienced national team coach with intimate knowledge of the players.
- Player Development – Investing in grassroots programs and youth academies.
- Scouting – Unearthing talent across the country and diaspora communities.
- Infrastructure – Ensuring adequate training facilities and stadiums.
- Support – Creating buzz and enthusiasm among fans and stakeholders.
laying home and away will also be crucial as home advantage can be significant in qualifiers. Attention should be given to creating a strong home field advantage.
CAF considers various factors when drawing the qualifying groups, including geography and rankings. This is to group comparable teams and minimize travel burdens as much as possible.
The Road to AFCON 2023
The qualifiers for the next Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON 2023, are already underway. The tournament will be held in Cote d’Ivoire after initial hosts Guinea were stripped of the rights.
Qualification began in May 2022 and runs until March 2023. The 13 qualifying groups involve the 52 entrants vying for 24 spots. CAF will employ Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology for the first time during the qualifiers.
Teams like Senegal (defending AFCON champions), Morocco (2022 World Cup semi-finalists) and hosts Cote d’Ivoire are expected to qualify. But there will likely be some surprise packages too.
Timing of Qualifiers
Here are the key dates for the AFCON 2023 qualifiers:
- May 30 – June 14, 2022: Matchday 1 and 2
- September 19 – 27, 2022: Matchday 3 and 4
- March 20 – 28, 2023: Matchday 5 and 6
The 10 matchdays will determine the 24 finalists. Cote d’Ivoire receives automatic qualification as hosts.
Current Qualifying Standings
As of November 2022, four rounds of matches have been completed. Here is a look at the current qualifying group standings:
| Group | 1st Place | 2nd Place |
|---|---|---|
| A | Algeria (10 pts) | Niger (7 pts) |
| B | Burkina Faso (10 pts) | Eswatini (6 pts) |
| C | Gambia (10 pts) | Mali (5 pts) |
| D | Egypt (10 pts) | Guinea (6 pts) |
| E | Mauritania (9 pts) | Tunisia (4 pts) |
| F | Cameroon (6 pts) | Kenya (4 pts) |
| G | Nigeria (9 pts) | Guinea-Bissau (4 pts) |
| H | Namibia (4 pts) | Togo (4 pts) |
| I | Senegal (12 pts) | Mozambique (4 pts) |
| J | Benin (7 pts) | DR Congo (5 pts) |
| K | Morocco (12 pts) | South Africa (5 pts) |
| L | Tanzania (5 pts) | Libya (4 pts) |
| M | Gabon (7 pts) | Mauritius (6 pts) |
As the table shows, teams like Senegal, Morocco and Algeria currently lead their groups after four matches. But there is still lots of football left, and standings could change dramatically. The fifth and sixth matchdays in 2023 will ultimately determine who books a ticket to Cote d’Ivoire.
Conclusion
Qualifying for the Africa Cup of Nations requires consistency, talent and determination. The qualification format has evolved to be more inclusive, enabling over half of CAF’s membership to contend for a coveted AFCON spot every two years.
West African and North African teams have been the most successful qualifiers historically. But recent debutants like Madagascar have shown that anything is possible. For teams hoping to qualify for AFCON 2023 and beyond, thorough preparation and execution will be key.
