When is the Africa Cup of Nations? Your guide to the tournament

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations will take place in the new year having been postponed from its scheduled date over the summer. 

Some 24 teams will compete in the tournament — hosted by the Ivory Coast. 

Senegal are the defending champions from the 2021 edition thanks to their shootout win over Egypt in the final. 

LiveScore bring you everything that you need to know about the Africa Cup of Nations ahead of it kicking off in January. 

When is the next Africa Cup of Nations?

The Africa Cup of Nations will start on January 13 and conclude on February 11.

It was originally scheduled to be played between June and July this year but was postponed due to concerns over the weather in the Ivory Coast. 

This was the second tournament in a row which had to be moved back after the 2021 edition was twice rescheduled due to climatic conditions and the coronavirus crisis. 

Since 2019, the Africa Cup of Nations has been intended to be held during the summer to avoid a clash with the European domestic season. 

How does the Africa Cup of Nations work?

There are 24 teams competing in the Africa Cup of Nations, who will be split into six groups of four. 

The top two sides from each group will progress to the knockout stages, along with the four top third-place finishers. 

Sixteen countries will advance to the knockout rounds which start with a last 16, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals, third place play-off and final. 

How often is the Africa Cup of Nations played?

The Africa Cup of Nations is normally contested every two years. 

Due to the rescheduling of the 2023 tournament, there will only be 18 months to wait until the 2025 edition, which is set to take place between June and July in Morocco. 

The 2027 Africa Cup of Nations will be co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. 

It will be the first time that the tournament has been hosted by three different countries and the first to have been held in East Africa since the 1976 AFCON in Ethiopia. 

Who has won the Africa Cup of Nations the most times?

Egypt have clinched the Africa Cup of Nations more than any other team with seven wins to date. 

Finishing as runners-up on a further three occasions, the Egyptians also hold the record for having played in the most finals with 10 appearances so far. 

Cameroon are the second most successful nation with five wins, while Ghana have four. Holders Senegal won the tournament for the first time in 2021. 

In total, there have been 15 different winners of the Africa Cup of Nations with 20 finalists in all. 

Will the Africa Cup of Nations be on TV?

No announcement has been made regarding the broadcast rights to the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations. 

In May, the Confederation of African Football launched an invitation to tender for host broadcast rights for a range of competitions, which included AFCON. 

Sky Sports and the BBC shared broadcasts for the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations when it eventually took place in 2022.

When is the Africa Cup of Nations draw?

The Africa Cup of Nations draw took place on October 12, with the teams divided into six groups. 

Group A: Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau.

Group B: Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, Mozambique.

Group C: Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, Gambia.

Group D: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, Angola.

Group E: Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, Namibia.

Group F: Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, Tanzania.