Senegal, the reigning African champion, will face Cameroon, Guinea and Gambia in Group C of the 2024 African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast (January 13-February 11), after the draw carried out Thursday in Abidjan.
The Teranga Lions will also face Guinea and Gambia in Group C, following the draw on Thursday in Abidjan.
Another favorite of the competition, Morocco, semi-finalist of the 2022 World Cup, finds itself in a group F within its reach, along with the DRC, Zambia and Tanzania. Ivory Coast, the host country, inherits Nigeria and two a priori more affordable opponents, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea Bissau, in group A. The opening match will pit the Ivorians against Guinea Bissau, on January 13, at the Ebimpé stadium, near Abidjan.
In group B, Egypt will face Ghana, Cape Verde and Mozambique while group D will bring together Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania and Angola. Finally in group E, Tunisia and Mali will be favorites ahead of South Africa and Namibia. The first and second in each group, as well as the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the round of 16.
The draw was made by Senegalese striker Sadio Mané, Moroccan defender Achraf Hakimi, former Nigerian midfielder John Obi Mikel and former Ivorian star Didier Drogba, who received a standing ovation from the audience. Other former glories like the Ivorian Ivorian Yaya Touré or Bonaventure Kalou as well as the French Eric Abidal, Marcel Desailly and Jean Tigana were also present. Initially scheduled for June and July 2023, the CAN was postponed to be held in early 2024, in order to avoid the matches taking place in the middle of the rainy season. It will take place from January 13 to February 11 in six stadiums: Abidjan (two enclosures), Bouaké (center), Korhogo (north), San Pedro (southwest) and the capital Yamoussoukro (center).
