The qualifiers of the CAN 2024 ended on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 with the qualifications of Cameroon and Namibia that complete the list of 24 elected for Côte d’Ivoire. There will be good people with 12 former winners of the trophy, but no novice for this 34th edition.
The curtain is drawn on the CAN 2024 playoffs, which ended with a Cameroon-Burundi (3-0) giving some cold sweats to the fans of the Indomitable. Cameroon survived a first period dominated by Burundians who had many opportunities, but came up against an imperial André Onana who justified his return after his retirement of nearly a year. The opening of the score of Bryan Mbeumo (46′) after a huge mistake by the other side, Rigobert Song’s men were freed, who took the game in hand and scored a second goal by defender Christopher Wooh (59′) and a third by their captain Vincent Abubakar (90+3). A victory that also qualifies Namibia, second in the three-team group C, which was suspended on the outcome of this last meeting.
The big guys are here…
The Indomitable Lions will be well present in Ivory Coast to compete in their 20th African Cup of Nations and try to win a sixth trophy. History to get closer to the Egyptian recorders (7 CAN) also qualified for their 26th CAN.
Eleven former winners of the trophy will be present in Ivory Coast as the recent winners Algeria (2019) and Senegal (2022). Mali, Burkina Faso and Guinea, never crowned, will be able to dream of imitating the Lions de la Téranga, crowned for the first time at the last CAN.
There will be no missing brand for this African Cup which could compete for the title of «CAN the most raised in history» and which did not give a place to novices. This is the first time since the AFCON 2015, in Equatorial Guinea, that there is no new country at the African Cup. Stopped in the quarterfinals in Cameroon for her first participation, the Gambia, will follow with happiness, just like Mauritania which will experience its third consecutive African Cup after discovering the competition in 2019. Four years later for Guinea-Bissau since its «entry» to the AFCON in 2017 and which will aim, like Mauritania, a historic qualification in the round of 16.
It will be the moment of reunion for DR Congo, South Africa, and Namibia who had missed the trip to Cameroon. For Mozambique, and Zambia, the wait was longer. The Wambas had not invited themselves to the great African celebration since the 2010 edition. For the Chipolopolos, winners in 2012, it is a great return after missing the last three CAN.
The draw will be held on October 12 in Abidjan.
The 24 qualified teams: Ivory Coast (organizing country) Algeria, Tunisia, Senegal, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Morocco, South Africa, Egypt, Zambia, Nigeria, Guinea-Bissau, Cape Verde, Mali, Guinea, Gambia, DR Congo, Mauritania, Mozambique, Tanzania, Ghana, Angola, Cameroon, Namibia.
