The Africa Cup of Nations, commonly abbreviated as AFCON and officially known as the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, is the main biennial international men's association football competition in Africa. It is sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and was first held in 1957. Since 1968, it has been held every two years, switching to odd-numbered years in 2013.
The Nigeria national football team represents Nigeria in men's international football. Governed by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), they are three-time Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) winners, with their most recent title in 2013. In February 2024, the Nigerian national football team was ranked 28th in the FIFA rankings. The team has qualified for six of the last eight FIFA World Cups, missing only the 2006 and 2022 editions. They have reached the round of 16 on three occasions. Their first World Cup appearance was in the 1994 edition. The team is a member of FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The South Africa men's national soccer team represents South Africa in men's international soccer and it is run by the South African Football Association, the governing body for Soccer in South Africa. Nicknamed Bafana Bafana, the team's home ground is FNB Stadium, which is located in Johannesburg. The team is a member of both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF). The team are one of the most well-supported national sides in Africa, and are recognized by their traditional yellow-green kits.
Egypt national football team, nicknamed "Pharaohs", represents Egypt in men's international football, and is governed by the Egyptian Football Association (EFA), the governing body of football in Egypt.
The DR Congo national football team, recognised by FIFA as Congo DR, represents the Democratic Republic of the Congo in men's international football and it is controlled by the Congolese Association Football Federation. They are nicknamed Les Léopards, meaning The Leopards. The team is a member of FIFA and the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Guinea national football team represents Guinea in men's international football and it is controlled by the Guinean Football Federation. They have never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals, and their best finish in the Africa Cup of Nations was runners-up in 1976. The team reached the quarter-finals in four recent tournaments. The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Zimbabwe national football team represents Zimbabwe in men's international football and is controlled by the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA), formerly known as the Football Association of Rhodesia. The team has never qualified for the FIFA World Cup finals, but has qualified for the Africa Cup of Nations five times. Zimbabwe has also won the COSAFA Cup a record six times. The team represents both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Ethiopia national football team, nicknamed Walia, after the Walia ibex, represents Ethiopia in men's international football and is controlled by the Ethiopian Football Federation, the governing body for football in Ethiopia. The team has been representing Ethiopia in regional, continental, and international competitions since its founding in 1943. The Walias play their home games at Addis Ababa Stadium located in the capital city of Addis Ababa. They are currently ranked 150th in the world according to the FIFA World Rankings and 44th in CAF.
The Libya national football team represents Libya in men's international association football and it is controlled by the Libyan Football Federation. The team has never qualified for FIFA World Cup but has qualified for editions of the Africa Cup of Nations in 1982, 2006, and 2012. In 1982, the team was both the host and runner-up. In the Arab Cup, Libya finished second in 1964 and 2012, and third in 1966. The team is affiliated with both FIFA and Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Djibouti national football team, nicknamed the "Riverains de la Mer Rouge", is the national football team of Djibouti. It is controlled by the Djiboutian Football Federation and is a member of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the Union of Arab Football Associations (UAFA). The Djibouti national football team's first win in a full FIFA-sanctioned international match was a 1–0 win vs. Somalia in the first round of the 2010 FIFA World Cup qualification.
Sunday Ogochukwu Oliseh is a Nigerian football manager and former defensive midfielder. Physical yet technically gifted, he played for top European clubs including Ajax, Borussia Dortmund and Juventus. He is widely regarded as one of the best African midfielders of all time.
Stephen Okechukwu Keshi was a Nigerian football player and manager.
Tijani Babangida is a Nigerian former professional footballer, who played as a winger. Known for his pace, his playing style was sometimes compared to that of Marc Overmars. Babangida spent the majority of his playing career at Ajax. Overall, he played in five countries on three continents. At club level, Babangida spent nine years in the Netherlands, playing for VVV-Venlo, Roda JC, Ajax, and Vitesse. winning the Eredivisie plus KNVB Cup double with the last side.
Ifem "Iffy" Onuora is a Scottish former professional footballer, manager, and coach for the England U21 national team. He is also the current equalities coach for the Professional Footballers Association.
Bridge Football Club is a Nigerian football club based in Lagos that was founded in the mid-1970s. As a result of its association with the Julius Berger construction company, the club was known as Julius Berger Football Club until 2010. The club has won national championships and competed internationally. Players such as Odion Ighalo, David Adekola, Yakubu, Taribo West, Sunday Oliseh, Samson Siasia, Emmanuel Amuneke, Rashidi Yekini, Garba Lawal, and Mutiu Adepoju have played for the club.
Christian Obodo is a Nigerian former footballer who played as a defensive midfielder.
Clemens Westerhof is a Dutch football manager, who has worked in various football positions on the African continent since 1989.
The Nigeria women's national football team, nicknamed the Super Falcons, represents Nigeria in international women's football and is controlled by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF). The team is Africa's most successful international women's football team, having won a record eleven Women's Africa Cup of Nations titles; their most recent title in 2018, after defeating South Africa in the final. The team is also the only women's national team from the Confederation of African Football to have reached the quarterfinals in both the FIFA Women's World Cup and the Summer Olympics.
Tom Saintfiet is a Belgian football coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Mali national team.
The 2014 African Women's Championship, the 11th edition of the tournament, was held in Namibia. This tournament, organized by the Confederation of African Football, was also a qualification tournament for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup, with top three qualifying for the finals in Canada. It was played on 11–25 October 2014.
