AFCON 2023 Power Rankings: Top 5 favorites revealed

As we edge closer to the AFCON’s kick-off, let’s take a look at the top favourites to win the continental tournament.

With the highly anticipated Africa Cup of Nations 2023 drawing near, teams make their final squad adjustments and late call-ups to prepare for the tournament. Ivory Coast hope to claim their third AFCON trophy on home soil but they are expected to face fierce competition from a number of star-studded teams across Africa.

In this article, we take a closer look at the top five teams in AFCON 2023 who are expected to dominate the tournament in the Ivory Coast.

5- Ivory Coast 🇨🇮

Ivory Coast’s AFCON 2022 campaign ended with a frustrating penalty defeat against Egypt in the last-16 round. This year, the Elephants come into the tournament as hosts, competing against Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, and Equatorial Guinea in the group stage.

The midfield partnership of Franck Kessie and Sesko Fofana has played a key role in Ivory Coast’s solid start to the World Cup qualifiers. Up front, the Elephants have Sebastian Haller, who is expected to form a duo alongside RB Salzburg’s Karim Konate in Jean-Louis Gasset’s 5-3-2 formation.

4- Egypt 🇪🇬

Despite his legendary career at Liverpool, Mohamed Salah is yet to fulfil his dream of leading Egypt to a trophy. The Pharaohs came within touching distance of the AFCON trophy in 2022 but lost to Senegal in the final.

This year, Egypt comes into the AFCON after a bright start under new manager Rui Vitoria. The Pharaohs’ attacking line is still their biggest advantage, scoring eight goals in their last two matches before the tournament. In addition to Salah, Mostafa Mohamed and Omar Marmoush have also enjoyed fantastic forms this season.

3- Morocco 🇲🇦

Following a historic run in the Qatar World Cup, Morocco face high expectations in the upcoming AFCON. Relying on one of the tournament’s best squads, the Atlas Lions look to win the tournament for the first time since 1976.

Walid Regragui’s side have played with a similar formation to that of their World Cup matches in recent months. Noussair Mazraoui and Achraf Hakimi have both enjoyed solid campaigns at Bayern Munich and PSG so far, while Hakim Ziyech has regained his momentum at Galatasaray. Morocco’s biggest concern is Sofyan Amrabat’s form, as the 27-year-old’s start at Manchester United has been far from ideal.

2- Nigeria 🇳🇬

Nigeria are one of the top favourites to win the 2023 AFCON due to their perfect squad. Following a disappointing run in the last tournament, José Peseiro has experimented with a number of different formations, calling up several new players to the national team.

Victor Boniface and Victor Osimhen are expected to form one of AFCON’s most exciting attacking duos for the Super Eagles. Both players arrive at the tournament after excellent starts to the 2023-24 season. The midfield line is also blessed with flair as the likes of Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze look to inspire Nigeria to win their first AFCON trophy in over a decade.

1- Senegal 🇸🇳

Senegal didn’t necessarily have the best squad in the 2022 AFCON but nonetheless won the tournament with a set of well-balanced performances. Since then, Aliou Cissé’s side have only gotten better as a number of exciting young stars have found their places in the national team.

In midfield, the duo of Pepe Matar Sarr and Idrissa Gueye offers more stability for Senegal’s quick transitions. Sadio Mane will lead Senegal to their title-defending campaign, playing alongside Habib Diallo and Ismaila Sarr in Cissé’s three-man attacking setup.