The eight African teams that will be competing for tickets to the 2024 Paris Olympics will find out the teams they will be playing when the official draw for the U23 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2023 takes place on Friday, 05 May 2023.The draw will be conducted at the awe-striking Mohammed VI Technical Centre in Rabat, Morocco in the tournament scheduled to take place from 24 June to 08 July 2023 in Morocco.The U23 AFCON, which will also serve as a qualifier for the Summer Olympic Games, will feature host Morocco, Egypt, Niger, Guinea, Congo, Ghana, Mali and Gabon.TotalEnergies U23 Africa Cup of Nations Draw on Friday in Rabat https://t.co/ORu1DYyitT— CAF Media (@CAF_Media) May 4, 2023 Teams FactsMorocco Hosts for a second time and were runners up to Gabon the last time they were the hosted in 2011.This will be their second appearance at the tournament along with 2011, when they were the tournaments inaugural hosts.Morocco won their opening two games at the 2011 edition defeating Nigeria and Algeria 1-0, despite a loss to Senegal in their final group game, they progressed to the last four defeating Egypt but lost in the final to Gabon.##NAJAVA_MECA_7226375##Egypt Competing in their fourth finals, have qualified for every edition since 2011.Defending champions having won the 2019 edition on home soil. Won all five games in 2019 in open play defeating Cote d’ Ivoire 2-1 in the final.BREAKING: Egypt qualify to 2023 U23 AFCON following a goalless draw against Zambia 🇪🇬 The Pharaohs beat their Zambia counterparts 2-0 on aggregate! CONGRATULATIONS 🎉 pic.twitter.com/DbgsOfDcsy— KingFut.com (@King_Fut) March 26, 2023 Have the distinction of being the only nation to have qualified for every edition of the tournament.Third place finishers when Morocco last hosted in 2011.Gabon Winners of the 2011 edition of the tournament.Johnathan McKinstry: The gutsy Northern Irishman daring to return Gor Mahia to its glory daysReturn for a second time after missing out in 2015 and 2019.First winners of this tournament defeated hosts Morocco 3-1 in the final in 2011.Ghana Making their second appearance at the tournament after 2019.Finished fourth in their only previous tournament appearance in 2019.Lost both their knockout games in 2019 on penalties to Cote d’ Ivoire in the Semi-finals and South Africa in the play-off for third.FKFPL Round 28: Gor Mahia’s lead strengthens as Vihiga Bullets stare at relegationMali Coming into their third finals.Eliminated in the group stages in both their previous tournament appearances in 2015 and 2019.Left Egypt 2019 winless will be looking to improve this time around and reach the knockout stage for the first time.AFC Leopards shifts full focus to Mozzart Bet CupCongo Making their tournament debut.Overcame South Africa in the final round of qualifying, progressing on away goals after drawing the first leg away from home 1-1 and the second 0-0.Are the third different team from the UNIFFAC region to have ever made the finals along with Cameroon and Gabon.FT: 🇨🇬 Congo U23 (1) 0-0 (1) 🇿🇦 SA U23The away goals rule sends Congo through.U23 AFCON ❌2024 Olympics ❌#AFCONU23Q pic.twitter.com/xQk16Vna2b— Lorenz Köhler (@Lorenz_KO) March 27, 2023 Guinea Making their tournament debut.Shocked Nigeria in the qualifiers with a 0-0 away draw in Abuja in the first leg of the third round, followed it up with a 2-0 win in the second leg played in Rabat.Them and Niger become the 6th and 7th teams from the WAFU Zone to qualify for the tournament.NigerMaking their tournament debut.Defeated Guinea Bissau in the first round of qualifying and shocked Cote d’ Ivoire in the second round with a 1-1 away draw after a 0-0 home draw to set up a third-round meeting against Sudan who they defeated 2-1 on aggregate.
