With the highly anticipated African Cup of Nations set to take place between January 13 and February 11, 2024, the Confedeation of African Football, are set to conduct the Final Draw on Thursday, 12 October, 2023 by 7pm Nigerian time, platinumnewsng.com is reporting.
The draw ceremony will be broadcast live on CAF’s YouTube channel and on CAF’s global TV partners.
Ahead of the draw, CAF through its official site released the format it would follow and noted that the Official Final Draw is based on the latest FIFA Rankings. The 24 qualified teams have been allocated to four pots based on the rankings.
Format of the competition:
The 24 participating teams will be divided into six (6) groups (A, B, C, D, E & F) of four (4) teams each. The host country is at the top of Group A in position A1.
The trophy holder will be the head of one of the remaining five groups. The other 4 group leaders will be determined based on their FIFA ranking. These top 6 teams make up Level I.
The other 18 teams are distributed in groups of 6 in each remaining level (Level II, Level III, and Level IV) according to their FIFA ranking.”
Pot Allocation:
According to the FIFA official ranking issued on the 21st of September 2023, the 24 teams qualified to participate in the final tournament of the TotalEnergies AFCON, Côte d’Ivoire 2023 have been seeded into the following 4 levels:
Procedures of the draw:
The following 4 pots will be on stage:
Pot 4: Containing the 6 teams of level IV
Pot 3: Containing the 6 teams of level III
Pot 2: Containing the 6 teams of level II
Pot 1: Containing the 5 teams of level I + the host country’s ball in a distinct colour.
The host country’s ball will be the first to be drawn from Pot 1, and it will be placed in position A1.
Step 1:
Pot 4:The 6 less seeded teams of level IV will be in pot 4
- ⦁ The first ball drawn will go directly to Group A; in position A4.
- The second ball drawn will go directly to Group B; in position B4
- The third ball drawn will go directly to Group C; in position C4
- The fourth ball drawn will go directly to Group D; in position D4
- The fifth ball drawn will go directly to Group E; in position E4
- The sixth ball drawn will go directly to Group F; in position F4
Step 2:
Pot 3:The 6 teams of level III will be in pot 3
- The first ball drawn will go directly to group A; in position A3.
- The second ball drawn will go directly to group B; in position B3
- The third ball drawn will go directly to group C; in position C3
- The fourth ball drawn will go directly to group D; in position D3
- The fifth ball drawn will go directly to group E; in position E3
- The sixth ball drawn will go directly to group F; in position F3
Step 3:
Pot 2:The 6 teams of level II will be in pot 2
- The first ball drawn will go directly to group A; in position A2.
- The second ball drawn will go directly to group B; in position B2
- The third ball drawn will go directly to group C; in position C2
- The fourth ball drawn will go directly to group D; in position D2
- The fifth ball drawn will go directly to group E; in position E2
- The sixth ball drawn will go directly to group F; in position F2
Step 4:
Pot 1:The Host team is already in position A1; the holder of the title and the other 4 teams of level I will be in pot 1
- The first ball drawn will go directly to group B; in position B1.
- The second ball drawn will go directly to group C; in position C1
- The third ball drawn will go directly to group D; in position D1
- The fourth ball drawn will go directly to group E; in position E1
- The fifth ball drawn will go directly to group F; in position F1