Tournament details | |
---|---|
Dates | 21 September 2022 – 28 March 2023 |
Teams | 38 (from 1 confederation) |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 60 |
Goals scored | 133 (2.22 per match) |
Top scorer(s) | (4 goals each) |
This article details the qualification schedule and matches for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
Players born 1 January 2001 or later were eligible to participate in the competition. A total of 8 teams, including automatically qualified hosts Morocco, qualified to play in the group stages of this edition of the tournament, which also doubled as the first stage of the African qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics men's football tournament in France.
Apart from Morocco, the remaining 53 CAF members were eligible to enter qualification and a total of 38 national teams entered its draw which was announced on 18 August 2022. [1] Eighteen best teams from the previous edition and its qualification procedures were given a bye to the second round.
Main tournament edition hosts | Bye to second round (18 teams) |
First round entrants (20 teams) |
---|---|---|
Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away, two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, away goals rule was applied and if still tied, penalty shoot-out (no extra time) was used to determine the winner.
All matches were played during the FIFA International Window and its schedules were as follows: [2]
Round | Leg | Date |
---|---|---|
First round | First leg | 19–27 September 2022 |
Second leg | ||
Second round | First leg | 22–23 October 2022 |
Second leg | 29–30 October 2022 | |
Third round [3] | First leg | 22–28 March 2023 |
Second leg |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Guinea-Bissau | 2–4 | Niger | 0–0 | 2–4 |
Tanzania | 3–3 ( a) | South Sudan | 0–0 | 3–3 |
Eswatini | 3–2 | Botswana | 2–0 | 1–2 |
Mauritania | 1–2 | Togo | 1–0 | 0–2 |
Ethiopia | 0–1 | DR Congo | 0–0 | 0–1 |
Mozambique | 5–1 | Mauritius | 3–0 | 2–1 |
Burkina Faso | 2–2 ( a) | Gambia | 0–1 | 2–1 |
Libya | 4–4 ( a) | Rwanda | 4–1 | 0–3 |
Madagascar | 12–1 | Seychelles | 5–0 | 7–1 |
Angola | 8–1 | Namibia | 2–1 | 6–0 |
Niger | 4–2 | Guinea-Bissau |
---|---|---|
|
Report | Camará 78', 88' |
Niger won 4–2 on aggregate.
South Sudan | 3–3 | Tanzania |
---|---|---|
Report |
Tanzania won 3–3 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Botswana | 2–1 | Eswatini |
---|---|---|
Report | N. Dlamini 75' |
Eswatini won 3–2 on aggregate.
Mauritania | 1–0 | Togo |
---|---|---|
El Abd 90+4' | Report |
Togo | 2–0 | Mauritania |
---|---|---|
Report |
Togo won 2–1 on aggregate.
DR Congo won 1–0 on aggregate, but later got disqualified and had its result forfeited for fielding ineligible players. Although Ethiopia advanced to the final round, they chose not to compete and thus Algeria advanced in their place.
Mauritius | 1–2 | Mozambique |
---|---|---|
Aristide 90+1' ( pen.) | Report |
Mozambique won 5–1 on aggregate.
Burkina Faso | 0–1 | Gambia |
---|---|---|
Report | Bojang 78' ( pen.) |
Gambia | 1–2 | Burkina Faso |
---|---|---|
Bâ 82' | Report |
Burkina Faso won 2–2 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Rwanda | 3–0 | Libya |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Rwanda won 4–4 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Madagascar | 5–0 | Seychelles |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Seychelles | 1–7 | Madagascar |
---|---|---|
Aboudou 4' | Report |
|
Madagascar won 12–1 on aggregate.
Namibia | 0–6 | Angola |
---|---|---|
Report |
Angola won 8–1 on aggregate.
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Niger | 1–1 ( a) | Ivory Coast | 0–0 | 1–1 |
Sudan | 3–3 ( a) | Benin | 2–0 | 1–3 |
Tanzania | 1–3 | Nigeria | 1–1 | 0–2 |
Guinea | w/o [A] | Uganda | — | — |
Eswatini | 0–1 | Egypt | 0–0 | 0–1 |
Sierra Leone | 1–2 | Zambia | 1–1 | 0–1 |
Togo | 2–2 ( a) | South Africa | 2–2 | 0–0 |
Congo | 2–2 ( a) | Tunisia | 1–0 | 1–2 |
DR Congo | w/o [B] [C] | Algeria | — | — |
Mozambique | 1–4 | Ghana | 1–2 | 0–2 |
Burkina Faso | 0–0 (3–5 p) | Senegal | 0–0 | 0–0 |
Rwanda | 1–2 | Mali | 1–1 | 0–1 |
Madagascar | 0–5 | Gabon | 0–1 | 0–4 |
Angola | 2–3 | Cameroon | 2–3 | 0–0 |
Notes:
Niger | 0–0 | Ivory Coast |
---|---|---|
Report |
Ivory Coast | 1–1 | Niger |
---|---|---|
Traoré 59' | Report | Amoustapha 46' |
Niger won 1–1 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Sudan | 2–0 | Benin |
---|---|---|
Report |
Sudan won 3–3 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Tanzania | 1–1 | Nigeria |
---|---|---|
Msengi 76' ( pen.) | Report | Makanjuola 29' ( pen.) |
Nigeria won 3–1 on aggregate.
Egypt won 1–0 on aggregate.
Sierra Leone | 1–1 | Zambia |
---|---|---|
A. Conteh 58' ( pen.) | Report | Mutale 90' ( pen.) |
Zambia won 2–1 on aggregate.
Togo | 2–2 | South Africa |
---|---|---|
Report |
South Africa | 0–0 | Togo |
---|---|---|
Report |
South Africa on 2–2 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Conogo won 2–2 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
DR Congo | Voided (4–1) | Algeria |
---|---|---|
|
Report | Bekkouche 85' |
DR Congo won 5–4 on aggregate but was later disqualified, thus Algeria advanced to the final round.
Mozambique | 1–2 | Ghana |
---|---|---|
Vilanculos 88' | Report | Afriyie 65' ( pen.), 76' ( pen.) |
Ghana | 2–0 | Mozambique |
---|---|---|
Report |
Ghana won 4–1 on aggregate.
Burkina Faso | 0–0 | Senegal |
---|---|---|
Report |
Senegal | 0–0 | Burkina Faso |
---|---|---|
Report | ||
Penalties | ||
5–3 |
Senegal won 5–3 on penalties and advanced to the final round.
Mali won 2–1 on aggregate.
Madagascar | 0–1 | Gabon |
---|---|---|
Report | Ovono 65' |
Gabon | 4–0 | Madagascar |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Gabon won 5–0 on aggregate.
Cameroon won 3–2 on aggregate.
Winners qualified for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Niger | 2–1 | Sudan | 0–0 | 2–1 |
Nigeria | 0–2 | Guinea | 0–0 | 0–2 |
Egypt | 2–0 | Zambia | 2–0 | 0–0 |
South Africa | 1–1 ( a) | Congo | 1–1 | 0–0 |
Algeria | 1–2 | Ghana | 1–1 | 0–1 |
Senegal | 3–4 | Mali | 3–1 | 0–3 |
Gabon | 1–1 (7–6 p) | Cameroon | 1–0 | 0–1 |
Sudan | 1–2 | Niger |
---|---|---|
Manu 88' | Report |
|
Niger won 2–1 on aggregate.
Guinea | 2–0 | Nigeria |
---|---|---|
Report |
Guinea won 2–0 on aggregate.
Egypt won 2–0 on aggregate.
South Africa | 1–1 | Congo |
---|---|---|
Maseko 67' | Report | Bissila 44' |
Congo won 1–1 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Ghana won 2–1 on aggregate.
Mali won 4–3 on aggregate.
Gabon won 7–6 on penalties after a 1–1 draw on aggregate.
The following eight teams qualified for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations. [15]
Team | Qualified on | Previous U-23 Africa Cup of Nations appearances 1 |
---|---|---|
Morocco (hosts) | 7 July 2022 | 1 ( 2011) |
Egypt | 26 March 2023 | 3 ( 2011, 2015, 2019) |
Congo | 27 March 2023 | 0 (debut) |
Gabon | 28 March 2023 | 1 ( 2011) |
Ghana | 28 March 2023 | 1 ( 2019) |
Guinea | 28 March 2023 | 0 (debut) |
Mali | 28 March 2023 | 2 ( 2015, 2019) |
Niger | 28 March 2023 | 0 (debut) |
There were 133 goals scored in 60 matches, for an average of 2.22 goals per match.
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal
Young Africans trounced South Sudanese side Zalan Rumbek 4-0 in a match switched to Tanzania because their rivals do not have an international-standard stadium.
Currently, Burkinabé teams are unable to host continental matches on home soil as national facilities are being renovated to meet the required standards set by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
There is no suitable stadium on the Indian Ocean island...
Tournament details | |
---|---|
Dates | 21 September 2022 – 28 March 2023 |
Teams | 38 (from 1 confederation) |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 60 |
Goals scored | 133 (2.22 per match) |
Top scorer(s) | (4 goals each) |
This article details the qualification schedule and matches for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
Players born 1 January 2001 or later were eligible to participate in the competition. A total of 8 teams, including automatically qualified hosts Morocco, qualified to play in the group stages of this edition of the tournament, which also doubled as the first stage of the African qualification for the 2024 Summer Olympics men's football tournament in France.
Apart from Morocco, the remaining 53 CAF members were eligible to enter qualification and a total of 38 national teams entered its draw which was announced on 18 August 2022. [1] Eighteen best teams from the previous edition and its qualification procedures were given a bye to the second round.
Main tournament edition hosts | Bye to second round (18 teams) |
First round entrants (20 teams) |
---|---|---|
Qualification ties were played on a home-and-away, two-legged basis. If the aggregate score was tied after the second leg, away goals rule was applied and if still tied, penalty shoot-out (no extra time) was used to determine the winner.
All matches were played during the FIFA International Window and its schedules were as follows: [2]
Round | Leg | Date |
---|---|---|
First round | First leg | 19–27 September 2022 |
Second leg | ||
Second round | First leg | 22–23 October 2022 |
Second leg | 29–30 October 2022 | |
Third round [3] | First leg | 22–28 March 2023 |
Second leg |
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Guinea-Bissau | 2–4 | Niger | 0–0 | 2–4 |
Tanzania | 3–3 ( a) | South Sudan | 0–0 | 3–3 |
Eswatini | 3–2 | Botswana | 2–0 | 1–2 |
Mauritania | 1–2 | Togo | 1–0 | 0–2 |
Ethiopia | 0–1 | DR Congo | 0–0 | 0–1 |
Mozambique | 5–1 | Mauritius | 3–0 | 2–1 |
Burkina Faso | 2–2 ( a) | Gambia | 0–1 | 2–1 |
Libya | 4–4 ( a) | Rwanda | 4–1 | 0–3 |
Madagascar | 12–1 | Seychelles | 5–0 | 7–1 |
Angola | 8–1 | Namibia | 2–1 | 6–0 |
Niger | 4–2 | Guinea-Bissau |
---|---|---|
|
Report | Camará 78', 88' |
Niger won 4–2 on aggregate.
South Sudan | 3–3 | Tanzania |
---|---|---|
Report |
Tanzania won 3–3 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Botswana | 2–1 | Eswatini |
---|---|---|
Report | N. Dlamini 75' |
Eswatini won 3–2 on aggregate.
Mauritania | 1–0 | Togo |
---|---|---|
El Abd 90+4' | Report |
Togo | 2–0 | Mauritania |
---|---|---|
Report |
Togo won 2–1 on aggregate.
DR Congo won 1–0 on aggregate, but later got disqualified and had its result forfeited for fielding ineligible players. Although Ethiopia advanced to the final round, they chose not to compete and thus Algeria advanced in their place.
Mauritius | 1–2 | Mozambique |
---|---|---|
Aristide 90+1' ( pen.) | Report |
Mozambique won 5–1 on aggregate.
Burkina Faso | 0–1 | Gambia |
---|---|---|
Report | Bojang 78' ( pen.) |
Gambia | 1–2 | Burkina Faso |
---|---|---|
Bâ 82' | Report |
Burkina Faso won 2–2 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Rwanda | 3–0 | Libya |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Rwanda won 4–4 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Madagascar | 5–0 | Seychelles |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Seychelles | 1–7 | Madagascar |
---|---|---|
Aboudou 4' | Report |
|
Madagascar won 12–1 on aggregate.
Namibia | 0–6 | Angola |
---|---|---|
Report |
Angola won 8–1 on aggregate.
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Niger | 1–1 ( a) | Ivory Coast | 0–0 | 1–1 |
Sudan | 3–3 ( a) | Benin | 2–0 | 1–3 |
Tanzania | 1–3 | Nigeria | 1–1 | 0–2 |
Guinea | w/o [A] | Uganda | — | — |
Eswatini | 0–1 | Egypt | 0–0 | 0–1 |
Sierra Leone | 1–2 | Zambia | 1–1 | 0–1 |
Togo | 2–2 ( a) | South Africa | 2–2 | 0–0 |
Congo | 2–2 ( a) | Tunisia | 1–0 | 1–2 |
DR Congo | w/o [B] [C] | Algeria | — | — |
Mozambique | 1–4 | Ghana | 1–2 | 0–2 |
Burkina Faso | 0–0 (3–5 p) | Senegal | 0–0 | 0–0 |
Rwanda | 1–2 | Mali | 1–1 | 0–1 |
Madagascar | 0–5 | Gabon | 0–1 | 0–4 |
Angola | 2–3 | Cameroon | 2–3 | 0–0 |
Notes:
Niger | 0–0 | Ivory Coast |
---|---|---|
Report |
Ivory Coast | 1–1 | Niger |
---|---|---|
Traoré 59' | Report | Amoustapha 46' |
Niger won 1–1 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Sudan | 2–0 | Benin |
---|---|---|
Report |
Sudan won 3–3 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Tanzania | 1–1 | Nigeria |
---|---|---|
Msengi 76' ( pen.) | Report | Makanjuola 29' ( pen.) |
Nigeria won 3–1 on aggregate.
Egypt won 1–0 on aggregate.
Sierra Leone | 1–1 | Zambia |
---|---|---|
A. Conteh 58' ( pen.) | Report | Mutale 90' ( pen.) |
Zambia won 2–1 on aggregate.
Togo | 2–2 | South Africa |
---|---|---|
Report |
South Africa | 0–0 | Togo |
---|---|---|
Report |
South Africa on 2–2 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Conogo won 2–2 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
DR Congo | Voided (4–1) | Algeria |
---|---|---|
|
Report | Bekkouche 85' |
DR Congo won 5–4 on aggregate but was later disqualified, thus Algeria advanced to the final round.
Mozambique | 1–2 | Ghana |
---|---|---|
Vilanculos 88' | Report | Afriyie 65' ( pen.), 76' ( pen.) |
Ghana | 2–0 | Mozambique |
---|---|---|
Report |
Ghana won 4–1 on aggregate.
Burkina Faso | 0–0 | Senegal |
---|---|---|
Report |
Senegal | 0–0 | Burkina Faso |
---|---|---|
Report | ||
Penalties | ||
5–3 |
Senegal won 5–3 on penalties and advanced to the final round.
Mali won 2–1 on aggregate.
Madagascar | 0–1 | Gabon |
---|---|---|
Report | Ovono 65' |
Gabon | 4–0 | Madagascar |
---|---|---|
|
Report |
Gabon won 5–0 on aggregate.
Cameroon won 3–2 on aggregate.
Winners qualified for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations.
Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
---|---|---|---|---|
Niger | 2–1 | Sudan | 0–0 | 2–1 |
Nigeria | 0–2 | Guinea | 0–0 | 0–2 |
Egypt | 2–0 | Zambia | 2–0 | 0–0 |
South Africa | 1–1 ( a) | Congo | 1–1 | 0–0 |
Algeria | 1–2 | Ghana | 1–1 | 0–1 |
Senegal | 3–4 | Mali | 3–1 | 0–3 |
Gabon | 1–1 (7–6 p) | Cameroon | 1–0 | 0–1 |
Sudan | 1–2 | Niger |
---|---|---|
Manu 88' | Report |
|
Niger won 2–1 on aggregate.
Guinea | 2–0 | Nigeria |
---|---|---|
Report |
Guinea won 2–0 on aggregate.
Egypt won 2–0 on aggregate.
South Africa | 1–1 | Congo |
---|---|---|
Maseko 67' | Report | Bissila 44' |
Congo won 1–1 on aggregate via the away goals rule.
Ghana won 2–1 on aggregate.
Mali won 4–3 on aggregate.
Gabon won 7–6 on penalties after a 1–1 draw on aggregate.
The following eight teams qualified for the 2023 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations. [15]
Team | Qualified on | Previous U-23 Africa Cup of Nations appearances 1 |
---|---|---|
Morocco (hosts) | 7 July 2022 | 1 ( 2011) |
Egypt | 26 March 2023 | 3 ( 2011, 2015, 2019) |
Congo | 27 March 2023 | 0 (debut) |
Gabon | 28 March 2023 | 1 ( 2011) |
Ghana | 28 March 2023 | 1 ( 2019) |
Guinea | 28 March 2023 | 0 (debut) |
Mali | 28 March 2023 | 2 ( 2015, 2019) |
Niger | 28 March 2023 | 0 (debut) |
There were 133 goals scored in 60 matches, for an average of 2.22 goals per match.
4 goals
3 goals
2 goals
1 goal
1 own goal
Young Africans trounced South Sudanese side Zalan Rumbek 4-0 in a match switched to Tanzania because their rivals do not have an international-standard stadium.
Currently, Burkinabé teams are unable to host continental matches on home soil as national facilities are being renovated to meet the required standards set by the Confederation of African Football (Caf).
There is no suitable stadium on the Indian Ocean island...