The draw for the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations finals will take place in Abidjan on Thursday where Bafana Bafana will learn their fate as they return to the continent’s top table. They are in Pot 3, which potentially makes for a horror pool with two of Africa’s top 12 ranked sides in their group, and only the top two teams and the four best-placed runners-up advancing to the round of 16. We take a closer look at the four pots ahead of the draw:
POT 1
IVORY COAST
Best finish: Champions (1992, 2015)
FIFA Ranking: 50
Ivory Coast are in Pot 1 as hosts and will have homeground advantage, though that can also bring unwanted pressure. There Golden Generation have long since retired.
MOROCCO
Best finish: Champions (1976)
FIFA Ranking: 13
World Cup semifinalists under a year ago, Bafana did beat them in Johannesburg in June but they remain a formidable foe. Incredible they have now won the continental title in 47 years.
SENEGAL
Best finish: Champions (2021)
FIFA Ranking: 20
The defending champions continue to set the standard and will seek back-to-back wins after finally earning their first goal medal two years ago. Some of their stars are starting to age though.
TUNISIA
Best finish: Champions (2004)
FIFA Ranking: 29
Almost two decades since their one and only title win, they are always a danger but tend to underachieve. They showed at the World Cup in Qatar that they are a good side though.
ALGERIA
Best finish: Champions (1990, 2019)
FIFA Ranking: 34
Champions two editions ago, they failed to reach the last World Cup in a major shock and will want to make up for that in what is their 2th continental finals appearance.
EGYPT
Best finish: Champions (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)
FIFA Ranking: 35
The most successful side in Cup of Nations history, but has their aura slipped a little in recent years. Mo Salah remains the talisman but it has been 13 years since their last triumph. They were runners-up in 2021.
POT 2
NIGERIA
Best finish: Champions (1980, 1994, 2013)
FIFA Ranking: 40
A squad packed with talent, especially up front, but who have struggled to knit it all together in recent times. Exceptionally dangerous on their day if they do click.
CAMEROON
Best finish: Champions (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)
FIFA Ranking: 41
Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos took Cameroon to their last title in 2017, but they are now coached by stalwart Rigobert Song. Always a contender, they can blow hot and cold.
MALI
Best finish: Runners-up (1972)
FIFA Ranking: 49
Another side packed with talent who just battle to go to the next level, they are seeking a first continental crown and while they may be outsiders, don’t write them off. Their only final appearance came 51 years ago.
BURKINA FASO
Best finish: Runners-up (2013)
FIFA Ranking: 58
They had a surprise run to the 2013e final in South Africa where they lost to Nigeria, but have been unable to replicate that since. A tricky opponent but one that is beatable for Bafana.
GHANA
Best finish: Champions (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)
FIFA Ranking: 60
The fact that Ghana are ranked so low shows their struggles of late despite an appearance at the World Cup in Qatar. Their last continental title was 41 years ago, far too long a wait for a country so rich in talent.
DR CONGO
Best finish: Champions (1968, 1974)
FIFA Ranking: 64
Bafana beat DR Congo in last month’s friendlies and they are a nation whose best days perhaps are behind them, having shown so encouraging signs in recent decades without stepping up and becoming a power.
POT 3
SOUTH AFRICA
Best finish: Champions (1996)
FIFA Ranking: 65
Bafana Bafana are in Pot 3, which means they could draw two real African powers in their pool with Morocco and Nigeria likely the nightmare scenario. This is the time to show their improvement under coach Broos.
CAPE VERDE
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2013)
FIFA Ranking: 71
A tricky team who had their finest moment at the finals in South Africa a decade ago, they can be hard to beat, rather than a side to go out and take the game away from you.
GUINEA
Best finish: Runners-up (1976)
FIFA Ranking: 81
They were finalists 47 years ago when beaten by Morocco, but there is no real indication they will repeat that this time round. A big French-based influence in their squad.
ZAMBIA
Best finish: Champions (2012)
FIFA Ranking: 82
Shock winners in 2012 under coach Herve Renard, they now have Avram Grant in charge and his experience was key to them qualifying. With the likes of Patson Daka, they have some skilful individuals.
EQUATORIAL GUINEA
Best finish: Fourth place (2015)
FIFA Ranking: 92
A team that has had several run-ins with authorities over player eligibility, they seem to have moved past that now. They have several players based in the lower leagues in Spain.
MAURITANIA
Best finish: Group stage (2019, 2021)
FIFA Ranking: 99
This is their third successive qualification for the continental finals, and the ambition this time will be to advance from the group stages fort the first time.
POT 4
GUINEA-BISSAU
Best finish: Group stage (2017, 2019, 2021)
FIFA Ranking: 106
A fourth successive qualification and like Mauritania, the next step for them is to make the knockout rounds to show their progress. They have players dotted all over, but several in the Portuguese league.
MOZAMBIQUE
Best finish: Group stage (1986, 1996, 1998, 2010)
FIFA Ranking: 113
The Mambas are back for the first time in 13 years and for a fifth continental finals overall. They have exited in the pool stages in each of the last four.
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NAMIBIA
Best finish: Group stage (1998, 2008, 2019)
FIFA Ranking: 114
Namibia have made good strides under coach Collin Benjamin, though they did make the finals in 2019, so their appearance four years on is not a complete surprise. Peter Shalulile is the ace in their pack.
ANGOLA
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2008, 2010)
FIFA Ranking: 117
It is easy to forget that Angola went to the World Cup finals in 2006, and have in the past produced some excellent players. They are not quite there at the moment, but this second finals appearance since 2013 is a step in the right direction.
GAMBIA
Best finish: Quarterfinals (2021)
FIFA Ranking: 118
Gambia’s Belgian coach Tom Saintfiet has done an excellent job with the tiny west African side, leading them to the quarterfinals two years ago. They may be minnows, but will be tough to beat and probably the team Bafana don’t want to Pot 4.
TANZANIA
Best finish: Group stage (1980, 2019)
FIFA Ranking: 122
The lowest ranked team in the competition, this will be their third continental finals having last appeared in 2019. They are one of the sides who has benefited from the expansion to 24 teams.