THE PRIZE MONEY BREAKDOWN AS CONFIRMED BY CAF:

The continent’s most prestigious sports event, the Africa Cup of Nations, gets underway on Saturday, 13 January in Abidjan, Ivory Coast. Like in each of the previous 33 editions, the 34th installment pits Africa’s strongest nations against each other for the ultimate in a contest that only one out of 32 sides can emerge as the

A whopping $7 million (R130 million) is up for grabs for the winner of the Africa Cup of Nations, as Cote d'Ivoire hosts the competition for only the second time in their history having previously done so in 1984. CAF president Dr. Patrice Motsepe recently confirmed that the total prize money had been increased by a lofty 40%.

In a statement by CAF, the head of the African football governing body said, “Caf has made significant progress over the past two years in increasing the Prize Money of the Afcon and all its other major competitions. We have increased the Prize Money of the Afcon Winner to USD 7 000 000 which is a 40% increase from

The hosts are widely expected to make it out of their group, as the weight of their nation rests on their shoulders. The Elephants have won the competition twice before and only trail Egypt (25) in terms of most participations with 24. On paper, the side have one of the best squads in the tournament, boasting the Saudi Pro League-based midfield duo of Franck Kessie (Al Ahli) and Seko Fofana (Al Nassr). Currently ranked 49th in the world by FIFA, Cote d’Ivoire also have the likes of Jonathan Bamba and Sebastien Haller as their forwards. However, their most exciting player is arguably none other than Simon Adingra.

The 21-year-old is enjoying a breakout campaign at Brighton & Hove Albion this season. His manager Robert De Zerbi has shown huge trust in the winger, handing him 23 appearances in all competitions so far, a statistic only bettered by five other players in the Seagulls squad at the time of writing. The right-footed winger tends to operate on the left flank, with a habit of cutting behind defenders and is capable of dribbling past opponents in wide areas. So far this term, he has registered five goals and three assists in all competitions, including strikes against Liverpool and Ajax Amsterdam in the Premier League and UEFA Europa League respectively. champions of Africa. Many plots and narratives are set to play out, with giants looking to flaunt their might and underdogs gunning for a sensational dark horse story. Now, with the competition set to run until Sunday, 11 February, Soccer Laduma’s Lukhanyo Mtuta unpacks all you need to know about the eagerly anticipated 2023 Afcon. the previous Afcon prize money.” He added, “I am confident that a portion of the Prize Money will contribute to developing football and also benefit all the football stakeholders, as well as assist our Member Associations with their administrations.”

Winner: $7 million (R130 million) Runner-up: $4 000 000 (R75 million) Semi-finalists: $2 500 000 (R47 million) Quarter-finalists: $1 300 000 (R24 million)

The tournament will be staged across six

A standout performer in Europe this season, Victor Boniface is now on course to make his mark on the international stage as well after contributing 16 goals and eight assists in 23 games for an unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen side this term. His club, led by manager Xabi Alonso, currently sit on top of the Bundesliga table, with the Nigerian striker being their top scorer. After joining the German side for €20.5 million (R419 million) from Union Saint-Gilloise in July, the 23-yearold has also netted a brace in three league games already this term. He is now expected to form a formidable strike partnership with the 2023 CAF Footballer of the Year Victor Osimhen.

Another star taking the Bundesliga by storm in 2023/24, Omar Marmoush has 12 goals and three assists for Eintracht Frankfurt this term. The 24-year-old has spent most of his career in Germany. However, he has seemingly come out of his shell this season. Although born in Cairo, Marmoush also has Canadian citizenship due to his parents having spent six years working in the North American nation. The striker will look to add to an already impressive display stadiums in five cities. The capital, Abidjan, has two stadiums: the Felix Houphouet–Boigny Stadium and the Olympic Stadium of Epimbe, which will host the opening match between the hosts and Guinea Bissau and the final. The 32 teams have been divided into six tantalizing groups and the full list of venues is listed below:

Alassane Ouattara Stadium, Abidjan – Capacity of 60 000 Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium, Abidjan – Capacity of 33 000 Stade de la Paix, Bouaké – Capacity of 40 000 Amadou Gon Coulibaly Stadium, Korhogo – Capacity of 20 000 Laurent Pokou Stadium, San Pedro – Capacity of 20 000 so far and will team up with the veteran marksman Mohamed Salah, as Egypt look to claim a record-extending eighth Afcon title.

It certainly is exciting times for African football, as Mohamed Kudus recently became one of the most expensive African signings in the Premier League after he joined West Ham United from Ajax Amsterdam for a mouthwatering fee of €43 million (R880 million). It hasn’t taken him long to justify his price in England, as he has since contributed 13 goals and three assists in all competitions. Kudus has a bag of tricks and an eye for goals. His pace and technique is expected to pose a huge threat to their opponents, as the Black Stars hope to win their fifth Afcon title and the first since 1982. Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo of Bournemouth also deserves an honourable mention as one of the players to watch in this group.

Nicolas Jackson has been one of the most talked-about African stars this season, although a good part of this has been criticism. The 22-yearold is Chelsea’s top scorer in the Premier League after he joined the

Charles Konan Banny Stadium, Yamoussoukro – Capacity of 20 000

Group A – Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial

Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau Group B – Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, and

Mozambique Group C – Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, and

The Gambia Group D – Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania,

and Angola Group E – Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, and

Namibia Group F – Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, and

Tanzania side six months ago from Villarreal. With Senegal heavily reliant on the last edition’s Afcon MVP Sadio Mane, Jackson could be set for a huge supporting role, as the Lions of Teranga are keen to defend their title and make it back-to-back titles. The pacy forward has seven goals and two assists in 16 Premier League starts for the Blues. With just three caps for Senegal and an appearance at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the stage is now set for the goal poacher to make a name for himself.

Serhou Guirassy is the Bundesliga’s second-highest scorer this season behind only Harry Kane of Bayern Munich. With 17 goals in 14 matches, the 27-year-old has transfer rumours swirling around his name, as he has been linked with a January transfer to England. According to The Sun, both Tottenham Hotspur and AC Milan are reportedly interested in the centreforward amid his sensational scoring record. Born in France, Guirassy has 12 caps and two goals for Guinea after making his national team debut in March 2022.

Group D is packed with familiar faces like Riyadh Mahrez of Algeria and Betrands Traore of Burkina Faso. One player to keenly look out for is centre-back Edmond Tapsoba, who is now one of the most sought-after defenders in the world after his fantastic displays under Xabi Alonso. According to Transfermarkt, he is worth a staggering €40 million and clubs like Spurs and Manchester United have reportedly listed the 24-year-old as a potential future signing. He was handed a new contract in September 2023, extending his deal to June 2028 in a move that shows how important he is to Alonso’s plans for the future.

Bafana Bafana playmaker Teboho Mokoena is set to play in his firstever Afcon this year and this comes while he is the reigning PSL Footballer of the Season. The 26-year-old is a staple in Hugo Broos’ team, while he is also one of the first names on the Mamelodi Sundowns team sheet. The maestro has a reputation as one of the best central midfielders in South Africa, and he now has a chance to prove himself on a bigger stage, although his vast experience at CAF inter-club football could prove useful. Opposition goalkeepers, watch out for this man’s powerful longrange shots! ❐