Nigeria’s captain William Ekong heads in the Super Eagles’ goal in the 2023 final in Abidjan. Hosts CIV came from behind to win 2-1.
By Dianabasi Effiong, Uyo
The Draw Ceremony for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations finals will be held at the Mohamed V National Theatre in Rabat, Casablanca, on Monday evening with the Super Eagles in Pot 1.
This was made known by the Spokesperson for the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), Ademola Olajire, on Friday.
The three-time African champions Nigeria are placed in Pot 1 which included seven-time winners Egypt and three-time champions and Cup holders, Cote d’Ivoire.
Other teams in the pot are the two-time winners, Algeria, hosts and 1976 champions, Morocco, and 2021 winners, Senegal.
Super Eagles Head Coach Éric Sékou Chelle and Team Administrator Dayo Achor, alongside the Chairman of NFF Technical and Development Committee, Alhaji Sharif Inuwa, are expected to attend the colorful ceremony in Morocco’s administrative capital.
The final tournament that will begin on Dec. 21 and end on Jan. 18 is unique in some ways – it is the first ever to start in a particular year and run into another year.
Morocco will play host to Africa again since hosting the 1988 tournament that was won by Cameroon.
The North African country was handed the hosting right for the 2015 finals but ducked at the 11th hour amid the Ebola scare across some nations in the continent.
Since then, the country has hosted a plethora of football championships, including the African Nations Championship in 2018 (which she won).
It also hosted the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 (in which she finished as runner-up) and the FIFA Club World Cup in 2023.
Morocco will also co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup finals alongside neighbours, Spain and Portugal.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles hold the record for the most medals from the 68-year-old championship: 16 in 20 previous participations.
They are three-time winners (1980, 1994, 2013), finished as runners-up on five occasions (1984, 1988, 1990, 2000, and 2023), and took the bronze eight times (1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, and 2019).
The Eagles lost out in the quarter-finals in 2008 and were eliminated in the second round in 2021.
“Only in their debut in 1963, and as Cup holders in 1982, have the Eagles failed to proceed beyond the tournament group phase,” Olajire said.
While Nigeria will be taking part in her 21st tournament (same as DR Congo and Algeria), Botswana and Comoros will be taking part in only their second respective championships.
Egypt will be appearing in their 27th tournament, Cote d’Ivoire 26th, and; Cameroon and Tunisia 22nd.
Hosts Morocco are appearing in their 20th finals and 2012 champions Zambia in their 19th.
The 2021 winners, Senegal, are appearing in their 18th final tournament.
Nigeria has also played a total of 104 matches at the final tournament, fourth overall behind Egypt (111), Cote d’Ivoire (106), and Ghana (105).
While Cameroonian Rigobert Song (who coached the Indomitable Lions at the last finals in Cote d’Ivoire), Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan, Ghanaian Andrew Ayew, and Tunisian Youssef Msakni, have played in eight tournaments each, Ayew and Song have played the most matches – 36 each.
Cameroonian striker Samuel Eto’o (currently President of FECAFOOT) has scored the most goals in the final tournament – 18 in the 29 matches he played across eight tournaments.
Nigeria’s Rashidi Yekini (of blessed memory) scored 13 goals across four final tournaments between 1988 and 1994.
Pot 1: Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire.
Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, Burkina Faso.
Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Benin Republic.
Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana.
