AFCON 2019 : All you need to know about the tourney

The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be held in Egypt.

The tournament brings together the best 24 teams to compete for the continental title.

Below PrimeNewsGhana looks at 10 things about the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations you should know

1. Host country and duration

The 2019 AFCON continental football showpiece would be staged in Egypt. Egypt was confirmed as the host country in a 17-3 votes victory over South Africa after Confederation of African Football has stripped Cameroon of the hosting right due to slow preparations.

The competition will take place from June 21 to July 19, 2019, following the decision made by the CAF Executive Committee in June 2017 to move the Africa Cup of Nations from the January/February period to June/July for the first time.

2. Expansion of teams

This summer’s tournament which is the 32nd edition of the AFCON will see 24 teams instead of the formally 16 teams per the decision of the CAF Executive Commission to increase the teams at a meeting in Rabat, Morocco.

3. Format

At the finals of the competition, 24 teams will be drawn into six groups of four teams each. The teams in each group will then play in a single round robin format, and after the group stage, the top two teams and the four best third teams will advance to the round of 16.

The winners will advance to the quarter-finals stage, and from then on, progress to the semi-finals. The semi-final losers will contest a third-place match, while semi-final winners will advance to the final.

4. Group stage

The top two teams of each group, along with the best four third-placed teams, advance to the round of 16.

5. Previous winners
The Pharaohs of Egypt is the most successful team in the history of the AFCON having won it 7 times followed by Cameroon with 5, Ghana with 4, Nigeria 2, Ivory Coast and DR Congo 2 each.

Zambia, Tunisia, Sudan, Algeria, Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Congo, and Mali have all won it once.

6. Qualified nations

Egypt, Tunisia, Madagascar, Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Mali, Guinea, Algeria, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Benin, Tanzania, South Africa.

7. Venues

The Egypt Football Association (EFA) have named 6 venues for the new-look 24-team tournament. The venues include the Cairo International Stadium, Alexandria, Ismailia Stadium, Suez Stadium, Al Salam Stadium and the 30 June Stadium.

8. Video Assistant Referee (VAR)

For the first time in the history of AFCON, VAR will be used at the tournament. The latest modern technology got the approval to be used at this year’s expanded 24-team competition after CAF vetoed of its use but the technology will be utilised from the Quarterfinals stage of the tournament. 

9. When is the Afcon final?

The final will be held at the Cairo International Stadium on July 19.

10. Prize Money

The Confederation of African Football confirmed in April 2019 that a total of $14.2 million would be shared between the best eight teams at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations in the form of prize money.  

2017 winner and defending champions, Cameroon got $4 million for winning the 2017 AFCON.

Runners up, Egypt received $2 million, while Burkina Faso and Ghana, the two semifinalists, went home with $1.5 million each but the new prize money sees an increase with the emerging winner walking away with a monetary value of $4.5million dollars while the runners up will also pocket $2.5 million.

The 3rd and 4th placed teams will go home with $2 million each and quarterfinalist walk away with $800,000.

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