How 3 countries began the Africa Cup 66 years ago
The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations tournament kicks off on January 13, 2024, in Cote d’Ivoire. It is the 34th edition of the tournament since its start in 1957 and will see the participation of 24 countries.
What’s interesting is this much-anticipated tournament's history and its humble beginnings.
The AFCON began in February 1957 with only three African countries, Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia. Egypt emerged as the first title winner in this tournament.
According to CAF, South Africa was the fourth invited country for the first tournament but their invitation was later withdrawn as a result of the country’s apartheid laws at the time.
The Pharaohs defeated Sudan’s team with a 2-1 win. Raafat Attia opened the scoring in the Semi-final game. The team later defeated Ethiopia in a 4-0 win to take home the trophy.
The North African country continued to win the next AFCON tournament in 1959.
From 3 participating countries, the tournament was expanded to include 8 teams in 1968, 12 teams in 1992, 16 in 1996, and 24, which has remained the standard since 2019.
At the start, AFCON was organised randomly but eventually became a biennial, with organisers holding a tournament every other year.
It is organised in odd years to avoid clashing with the FIFA World Cup held in even years.
The 2023 tournament will see 15 top-ranked African teams participating. AFCON is the most prestigious football (soccer) competition in Africa. It is organised by Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF).
