Mane’s Senegal defend title as Ivory Coast hosts Cup of Nations

ABIDJAN: The Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Saturday in Ivory Coast with the host nation and Mohamed Salah´s Egypt among the leading contenders to succeed the Senegal of Sadio Mane as continental champions.

The 24-team tournament, which concludes with the final on February 11, is the first in the West African country in four decades, since just eight nations featured in the 1984 edition won by Roger Milla´s Cameroon.

Senegal are defending the title they won in Cameroon in 2022, but a strong field also features Morocco and a Nigeria side spearheaded by African footballer of the year Victor Osimhen.

The tournament opens with the Group A meeting of the hosts and Guinea-Bissau at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium at Ebimpe, on the outskirts of the economic capital Abidjan. The 60,000-seat stadium was built for a tournament initially supposed to be played in June and July last year to avoid a clash with the middle of the season in Europe, where so many top African players are based.

However, fears over staging it during the rainy season led to it being pushed back to its more traditional January and February slot. Matches will be staged in six stadiums, with two venues in Abidjan, including at Ebimpe, which will host the final. Games will also be played in the capital Yamoussoukro and neighbouring Bouake, as well as in San Pedro on the coast and in Korhogo, in the north near the frontiers with Mali and Burkina Faso.

It is the first AFCON in West Africa since Ghana in 2008, and $1.5 billion has been invested by the Ivorian government. “Let´s all mobilise to make this AFCON a great celebration of youth, Ivorian hospitality and African brotherhood,” said President Ouattara in his New Year´s speech.