Improve your betting odds with this background on the African Cup of Nations. We
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A Look at the Africa Cup of Nations for Betting Fans
Football is the most popular sport in the African continent and a national sport in every
African country. From north to south, east to west, Africans have embraced the sport as seen
with many sports leagues and participation in the premier African international football
tournament. As nations prepare for the 2022 Africa Cup of Nations, most people will be
following the competition while expecting their teams to win. In light of this many fans will be
heading to online casinos and sportsbooks to make a bet.
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Choosing a Bookmaker with Great Odds and Tips
The bookmakers closely monitor each team participating in the tournament to offer betting
tips on who will win the tournament. However, these tips are just hints that can help you make
up your mind and not a guarantee of coming out correct. The tips do not come with an
obligation, which means the betting company is not liable for loss encountered after using the
hints. Here, we cover all details on the AFCON upcoming tournament so you can get top quality
tips and predictions on your favorite team.
What is the African Cup of Nations?
The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is the premier African international football
tournament and the biggest football event on the African continent that happens every two
years. The tournament is organized by the continent’s football running body CAF or
Confederation Africaine de Football.
This is one of the most colorful, pulsating, and unpredictable tournaments of the world that
continues to impress many fans. For example, the 2006 edition of AFCON final between
Cameroon and Ivory Coast was decided by a penalty shootout. This shootout ended 12-11 to
Ivory Coast, the only major tournament to end like this.
While the CAF cup of nations was set to take place in early 2021, it is now scheduled to take place in January
2022 due to COVID. The 2022 CAF cup of nations will be the 33rd edition that will be held
in Cameroon. The winner of the tournament gains a license to participate in the FIFA
Confederations Cup. In essence, the AFCON has grown greatly with the number of participants
increasing and more countries getting an opportunity to participate.
History of the AFCON
The first Africa Cup of Nations was held in 1957 in correspondence with the creation of the
continent’s football running body. Three nations: Sudan, Ethiopia, and Egypt, participated in
this first-ever AFCON tournament. Egypt won the trophy by defeating Ethiopia in the final
having defeated hosts Sudan in the only other match. This was the inaugural tournament that
was scheduled to have four participating teams. However, South Africa was disqualified due to
the apartheid policies of the government at the time.
From 1968, the tournament was held every even year until 2013 when it switched to oddnumbered years to avoid clashes with the FIFA World Cup competition. Winners of the 2012
edition were automatically qualified to defend their title in the tournament held in 2013. The
AFCON tournament has grown immensely since its first edition, necessitating the need for
holding qualifying matches before the finals.
In 1998, the number of participating teams reached 16, though Nigeria withdrew with the
number remaining 15. All teams were drawn into four teams of four with group winners and
runners up qualifying for the quarter-finals. In 2019, the tournament expanded to 24 teams to
allow more teams a chance to participate. The expansion changed the format of this
tournament with more teams qualifying for the knockout stages.
Throughout the history of the AFCON tournament, three trophies have been awarded, with
Cameroon and Ghana winning the first two versions for keeps after winning the tournament
three times. The current trophy was first awarded in 2002 and remains in circulation.
Playing Format
The 2021 AFCON will be the 33rd edition of the tournament. It will be hosted in Cameroon
after teams have qualified through the qualification rounds. 52 African countries entered the
qualification tournament that includes Cameroon who has automatically qualified for being
hosts.
After preliminary rounds, 12 groups of four are drawn to play the qualifying rounds. The top
two teams in each group earn a space in the AFCON finals. This means there will be a total of 24
teams that will qualify to play in the AFCON when the tournament starts. After the qualification
rounds are over, six groups of four will be drawn to start the tournament in the group stages.
The draw happens towards the start of the tournament.
The top two teams from each group qualify for the knockout stages, alongside the four best
teams in third place. A total of 16 teams will progress to the round of 16 knockouts. This is the
straight knockout stage with winning teams progressing to the final. The knockout stage is a
one-off game that is decided on penalties if no outright winner is determined. There is also the
3rd place playoff between the losing semi-finalists towards the end of the tournament.
AFCON Record Holders
Egypt holds the record for most titles, having won the cup seven times. This is three times
more than their closest competitor. They are the most successful nation, having won the first
two tournaments, before adding their third in 1986 and the fourth in 1998. The country also
recorded history by winning three consecutive editions between 2006, 2008, and 2010.
Furthermore, Egypt has the record for hosting the most tournaments in a record number of five
times.
After Egypt, the hosts Cameroon has five titles to their name while Ghana has won the title
four times. The 2022 hosts Cameroon are also favorites to win the ACON trophy for the sixth
time, having won it five previous times. Ghana is the third successful team in the AFCON
tournament with four trophies to their name.
Since its inception in 1957, the Africa Cup of Nations has witnessed some of the great
players and teams. The leading top scorer in the AFCON in Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o with 18
goals scored in seven AFCON tournaments. He made his debut in 1998, helping his nation to
two AFCON victories before his retirement in 2010.
Eto’o was part of the Cameroon squad that lifted the AFCON trophy in 2000 and 2002,
where he played as the main striker. His best years came in the 2006 and 2008 editions where
he claimed the golden boot on both occasions.
Apart from Eto’o, Ivory Coast’s Laurent Pokou is the second-highest top scorer in AFCON
competitions with 14 goals. Laurent Pokou remained the tournament’s top scorer for many years before
being overtaken by Eto’o. He represented Ivory Coast in the tournament between 1965 and
1968, making eight appearances while scoring 14 goals.
Nigeria’s Rashidi Yekini is the third-highest top scorer with 13 goals followed by Hassan El
Shazly of Egypt with 12 goals. There are three players on 11 goals, including Didier Drogba of
Ivory Coast, Hossam Hassan of Egypt, and Patrick Mboma of Cameroon. Most of the top scorers
have soon retired as footballers, with a new breed of players coming up to show their
prowess.
Cameroon’s legend Rigobert Song holds the record for the most fixtures played in the
African Cup of Nations. Song has played in 33 fixtures while making eight tournament
appearances. This is more than anyone else except in the tournament. His eight tournament
appearances are only level with Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan.
Furthermore, the duo of Essam El-Hadary and Ahmed Hassan of Egypt holds the record for
most titles in the AFCON tournament. Their four titles are the most of all players since its
inception in 1957. In most cases, AFCON competitions do not yield too many goals per
tournament. In 2019, the top scorer had three goals.
Betting Odds
The betting odds for the African Cup of Nations include the overall winner of the
tournament, group winners, top scorer, and teams with the most clean-sheets. At the same
time, the betting odds during the Africa Cup of Nations could come from a variety of betting
markets such as full-time results, first goal scorer, total goals, and any time goal scorer.
With the African Cup of Nations now taking place the same year as the World Cup Tournament, this will likely provide even more betting
opportunities.
You need to be in the best position during the AFCON tournament to have a successful
betting tournament when it starts. All matches are streamed on television and online for
anyone with a digital device and internet connection. As a result, there will be many online
bookmakers who will offer free bets during the Africa Cup of Nation matches.
The defending champions are Algeria who won it in the 2019 tournament and will be the
favorite to retain it. Algeria won their first-ever title in 2019 when they defeated Senegal in the
final held in Egypt. Other African giants in football include Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, Ivory
Coast, and South Africa, who have a strong team to challenge for the trophy.
