AFCON 2023 begins

AFCON trophy

For the next four weeks, this page will be dedicated to special reports on the African Cup of Nations, AFCON 2023. The biggest and most followed single sports event on the African continent kicks off today in the West African country of Cote D’Ivoire.

It is referred to as ‘AFCON 2023’ even as it holds in 2024 because it was supposed to have taken place in 2023 but was postponed. The Confederation of African Football, CAF, retained the official title in order not to distort the biennial arrangement. The next championship will take place in the summer of 2025.

For the first time, the championship will have an expanded number of 24 African countries that will assemble to celebrate friendship and the greatest single sports event on the African continent. There will be 52 matches in all showcasing the best football on the continent. The championship started in 1963 and this is the 34th edition.

Beyond Football
Football is what is projected on the surface. Most attention is rivetied on the best players, exciting matches and legendary teams. But beneath all of that, to more discerning minds, is a whole planet of other exciting events, people and places that equally define the people of the environment – culturally, economically, socially, and even diplomatically.

It is another exciting world to explore, illuminating AFCON 2023’s uniqueness instories of Cote D’Ivoire that are the history of the country beneath the football exterior.

I am, therefore, observing AFCON 2023 through very experienced eyes. I will tell the story beyond the football that everyone will, of course, religiously follow on television, radio and online, starting with a roadshow.

Nigeria can win AFCON 2023
This is how!
A tree will have to make a forest.