The U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, officially known as the TotalEnergies U-23 Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, is a quadrennial African football tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It features national teams consisting of players under 23 years of age. The tournament was first held in 2011.
The competition serves as a qualifier for the Olympic Games football tournament, adding extra importance to the event.
Guinea vs Ghana | U-23 AFCON HIGHLIGHTS | 06/30/2023 | beIN SPORTS USA
Origins and Development
Before the establishment of the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations, qualification tournaments for the Olympic Games football tournament for African teams were held on a home-and-away basis, beginning in 1956, a year before CAF was founded.
In 2011, CAF created a full-time standalone qualification tournament, aligning it with upgrades to its U-20 and U-17 competitions. This new tournament was named the African U-23 Championship.
Tournament History
Since its inauguration in 2011, the U-23 Africa Cup of Nations has been held every four years. Egypt, Gabon, Morocco, and Nigeria have each won the tournament once.
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Morocco and Egypt are the only countries to have played in the final twice.
Past Tournaments
- 2011: Hosted by Egypt
- 2015: Hosted by Senegal
- 2019: Hosted by Egypt
- 2023: Hosted by Morocco
2023 Tournament in Morocco
The 2023 tournament was hosted by Morocco, marking the second time the country has hosted the event. The tournament took place from June 24 to July 8.
In the final, Morocco defeated Egypt to win the title.
Key Changes and Expansions
Like the Africa Cup of Nations, the U-23 tournament has undergone changes in its format and participation.
Growing participation has led to the introduction of qualifying rounds. The country hosting the final tournament automatically gets a spot.
Read also: Ghana's Golden Eaglets: Past Glories
The other teams qualify through a special qualification tournament.
Trophies and Medals
CAF awards 30 gold medals to the winning team, 30 silver medals to the runners-up, and 30 bronze medals to the third-place team.
Individual Awards
Each edition of the tournament recognizes outstanding players with individual awards:
- Most Valuable Player: Awarded to the best player of the tournament.
- Best Goalkeeper: Awarded to the best goalkeeper of the tournament.
- Top Scorer: Awarded to the player(s) who score the most goals during the tournament.
Africa Cup of Nations: A Broader Perspective
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), often called AFCON, is the biggest international football competition for men's teams in Africa, organized by CAF. Since 1968, it has been held every two years, switching to odd-numbered years in 2013.
In the very first tournament in 1957, only three countries played: Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. Over the years, the tournament grew significantly, necessitating qualifying rounds. By 1998, 16 teams competed in the final tournament; this was expanded to 24 teams in 2019.
Read also: History of Ghana's U-20 Team
Egypt is the most successful team, having won the cup seven times, followed by Cameroon with five wins, and Ghana with four.
Historical Moments
The Africa Cup of Nations has been a conduit for the articulation of political values and ideas. Many independent African governments invested considerable economic and political capital into national football teams in order to elicit pride and build unity among their diverse populations.
For example, with the enthusiastic support of Ghana’s first president, Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana won the cup in 1963 and 1965. In winning the 1996 tournament at home, South Africa’s racially mixed team seemed to symbolize football’s power to bridge the gaping social and economic inequalities left by apartheid.
Africa Cup of Nations Winners
Here is a list of Africa Cup of Nations winners:
| Year | Winner | Runner-up |
|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Egypt | Ethiopia |
| 1959 | Egypt | Sudan |
| 1962 | Egypt | Uganda |
| 1963 | Ghana | Sudan |
| 1965 | Ghana | Tunisia |
| 1968 | Congo DR | Ghana |
| 1970 | Sudan | Ghana |
| 1972 | Congo | Mali |
| 1974 | Congo DR | Zambia |
| 1976 | Morocco | Guinea |
| 1978 | Ghana | Uganda |
| 1980 | Nigeria | Algeria |
| 1982 | Ghana | Libya |
| 1984 | Cameroon | Nigeria |
| 1986 | Egypt | Cameroon |
| 1988 | Cameroon | Nigeria |
| 1990 | Algeria | Nigeria |
| 1992 | Ivory Coast | Ghana |
| 1994 | Nigeria | Zambia |
| 1996 | South Africa | Tunisia |
| 1998 | Egypt | South Africa |
| 2000 | Cameroon | Nigeria |
| 2002 | Cameroon | Senegal |
| 2004 | Tunisia | Morocco |
| 2006 | Egypt | Ivory Coast |
| 2008 | Egypt | Cameroon |
| 2010 | Egypt | Ghana |
| 2012 | Zambia | Ivory Coast |
| 2013 | Nigeria | Burkina Faso |
| 2015 | Ivory Coast | Ghana |
| 2017 | Cameroon | Egypt |
| 2019 | Algeria | Senegal |
| 2021 | Senegal | Egypt |
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