Ivory Coast, as the host nation, has been drawn to compete against Super Eagles of Nigeria in the group stage, while Senegal will face Cameroon in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations following the recently conducted draw.
In Group A, the host nation will contend with three-time champions Nigeria, alongside Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau. The top two teams in each group will advance to the round of 16, along with the four best-performing third-placed teams.
During the draw ceremony, which was co-hosted by Senegalese music icon Akon, the Super Eagles of Nigeria were matched with their fierce rivals and the tournament’s hosts, Ivory Coast.
Senegal, the current African champions, who secured their title by defeating Egypt in a penalty shootout in 2021, face a challenging path to defend their crown. They find themselves in a demanding group alongside Cameroon, Guinea, and The Gambia.
Senegal’s star player, Sadio Mane, commented on the draw, stating, “It’s a truly challenging group.”
Now, let’s take a look at the complete list of groups:
Group A: Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau.
Group B: Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, Mozambique.
Group C: Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, The Gambia.
Group D: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Angola.
Group E: Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, Namibia.
Group F: Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, Tanzania.