All twenty-four nations set to know their group opponents on October 12 after the final draw in the Ivorian Capital of Abidjan.

After the Indomitable Lions picked up their tickets to make it a 19th straight finals by thrashing Burundi 3-0 in Garoua to top Group C on Tuesday, the Confederation of African Football has announced the date for the official draw.

Continental goliaths like Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco and Algeria are among the big guns waiting to know their fate.

The gigantic football events in the continent will kick off in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire, on 13 January 2024. CAF noted that the official draw will be held in Abidjan on 12 October 2023.

Next year’s (AFCON) in Cote d’Ivoire will be the 34th edition of the biennial African Association Football Tournament organized by the Confederation of African Football.

It will be hosted by Ivory Coast for the second time, having first hosted it in 1984. Senegal are the defending champions after beating Egypt in a penalty shootout last year.

Fifty-two (52) nations battle in the qualification phase, but only 24 will compete in the finals.

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Sierra Leone CAF Confederation Cup representative for the 2023/24 competition, FC Kallon, departed Liberia for Ghana to face Dreams FC in the Second round first leg on Friday.

The Accra Sports Stadium is set to host this contest between the two West African clubs.

Having reached the competition’s second round without kicking a ball following the withdrawal of AS Douanes, Kallon will look to surpass last season when they were eliminated in this stage by FC Future of Egypt.

The club’s owner and head coach, Mohamed Kallon, confirmed their departure on Facebook; ” Kallon departs Liberia Airport for Ghana to engage Dreams FC on Friday, 15th September, 2023, in the CAF Confederations Cup Second Preliminary Round, first leg Qualifier fixture in Accra, for a spot into the group stage.”

The former Inter Milan and Monaco was the coach of his club (FC Kallon) in the CAF inter-clubs Confederation Cup last September when they progressed to the second qualifying stage of the competition. 

Under his guidance, they eliminated Buffles de Borgou of Benin 4-0 on aggregate – but they suffered a heavy defeat to the Egyptian side FC Future over the two legs in the second preliminary round.

Dreams reached this stage of the competition with a 3-2 aggregate victory over Milo Fc of Guinea.

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Napoli’s hitman Victor Osimhen bagged a hat-trick as Nigeria wrapped up their TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations qualifying campaign with a 6-0 thrashing over Sao Tome on Sunday.

As a result, the Super Eagles sealed their place at the top of Group A with 15 points, scoring 22 goals in the six matches of the group.

The Super Eagles proved too strong for São Tomé and Príncipe as Victor Osimhen scored the opener in the 13th minute.

He completed his hat trick with goals in the 69th and 79th minute, respectively, to end as the qualifier’s top scorer with ten (10) goals. 

Ademola Lookman added a second with a neat finish before Osimhen netted a penalty after the break to put the result beyond doubt before Taiwo Awoniyi and Samuel Chukwueze also got in on the act as Nigeria ran riot.

Group A’s second-best team, Guinea-Bissua’s Djurtus Wild Dogs, will host Sierra Leone on Monday at the Estádio 24 de Setembro to wrap up the qualifiers.

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The Confederation of African Football have postponed Morocco vs Liberia AFCON 2023 qualifier following the Earthquake in Morocco on Friday.

Authorities have confirmed that the quake – measuring magnitude 6.8 – sent people rushing into the streets in Marrakesh and other cities.

The tie was scheduled to kick off at the Agadir Stadium on Saturday, 9 September 2023, at 19H00 (Morocco Time) in Agadir, Morocco.

CAF confirmed a new date regarding the match will be communicated in due course. 

More than 950 people have been killed and more than 1,100 injuries in Morocco after one of the most powerful earthquakes to ever strike the country.

CAF expresses its condolences to the families who lost their loved ones, the Fédération Royale de Football and the people of Morocco.

“There will be a moment of silence before the start of all the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations Côte d’Ivoire 2023 Qualifier matches on Saturday 9 September, and Sunday, 10 September 2023, to acknowledge and honour the people who lost their lives during the tragedy in Morocco,” CAF noted in their statement. 

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The Confederation of African Football, CAF, have granted second approval to Southern Arena in Bo City, Sierra Leone, to host Bo Rangers Champions League second-round preliminary first leg this month.

Sierra Leone champions will host their CAF Champions League second preliminary first leg against Algerian side CR Belouizdad on 17 September 2023 before travelling for the return leg two weeks later.

Kickoff time is at 4:00 pm local time in Bo city as the match will be officiated by a quartet of Nigerians led by Joseph Odey Ogabor as Centre man. 

Vice President of The Gambia Football Association, Bakary K Jammeh, will serve as Match Commissioner, with Togolese former international referee Kokou Djaoupe as the referee assessor.

Having engraved their name in the Sierra Leone top-flight history books after a back-to-back title, they will be hopeful to relive that moment this time on the continental stage.

The Southern Province progressed to this stage after eliminating Liberian side LISCR FC 2-1 on aggregate over two legs in the first preliminary rounds. 

It’s going to be the third and fourth meetings between the two sides. However, Bo Rangers was eliminated by Algerian giants CR Belouizdad in their maiden continental appearance 3-0 on aggregate last September following a goalless first-leg encounter in the Liberian capital.

Egypt’s Al Ahly are the current holders of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after their fiercely contested victory over Morocco’s Wydad Casablanca on a 3-2 aggregate victory in June.

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Federação de Futebol da Guiné-Bissau have confirmed that the National will open camp on Wednesday, 6th September, ahead of their final 2023 Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Sierra Leone.

The Wild Dogs of Bissau will host Sierra Leone on Monday at the Estádio 24 de Setembro to wrap up the qualifiers.

Already qualified alongside the Super Eagles of Nigeria, the home team will be using the Leone Stars tie as preparation for their 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign in November. 

“National coach Baciro Cande has selected his sqaud for the match of the last Group A journey of the final stage of CAN2024 qualification, with the exception of goalkeeper Djonas Mendes, who is due to arrive in Bissau tomorrow, Wednesday, to join the group at the stage of the CAN2024 selection.,” the Bissua FA announced. 

“The first training session was attended on the stadium benches by the president of the Guinea-Bissau Football Federation, “Caito Teixeira”, and the members of the executive committee and other football lovers.”

TotalEnergies AFCON qualifiers: Fixtures & kick-off times

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