Africa Cup of Nations: winners and runners-up since 1957

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The 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is underway in Egypt as 24 teams compete in the ultimate continental football competition where only one country will be crowned kings of Africa on July 19.

The 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) is underway in Egypt as 24 teams compete in the ultimate continental football competition where only one country will be crowned kings of Africa on July 19.

Only 14 countries have won the championship since its inception in 1957.

The first edition of the CAF Africa Cup of Nations was won by Egypt, who beat Ethiopia 4-0 in 1957. Since then a total of 31 editions of Afcon competition have been held.

Of interest is the fact that in 1957 there were only three participating nations, namely Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. South Africa was originally scheduled to compete, but were disqualified due to the apartheid policies of the government then in power.

Since then, the tournament has grown to the extent that 24 countries compete to qualify for the finals. The number of participants in the final tournament

reached 16 in 1998 (16 teams were to compete in 1996, but Nigeria withdrew, reducing the field to 15, and the same happened with Togo’s withdrawal in 2010), and until 2017, the format had been unchanged, with the 16 teams being drawn into four groups of four teams each, with the top two teams of each group advancing to a “knock-out” stage.

Traditionally a January event, the Africa Cup of Nations was moved to June while it was also expanded from a 16 to a 24-team event.

Egypt are the most successful side in continental competition having won seven titles,  that is in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008 and 2010.

Cameroon, who are the defending champions in Egypt, currently have won the cup six times.

Other teams who have managed to win the tournament include Ghana, Nigeria, Cote d’ivoire, DR Congo, Algeria, Congo, Ethiopia, Morocco, South Africa, Sudan, Tunisia and Zambia. Afcon Hosts, Winners and Runners-up (Year by Year since 1957)

  • Sudan 1957: Egypt 4–0 Ethiopia Egypt 1959: Egypt 2–1 Sudan
  • Ethiopia 1962: Ethiopia 4–2 Egypt
  • Ghana 1963: Ghana 3–0 Sudan
  • Tunisia 1965: Ghana 3–2 Tunisia
  • Ethiopia 1968: Congo DR 1–0 Ghana
  • Sudan 1970: Sudan 3–2 Ghana Cameroon 1972: Congo 3–2 Mali
  • Egypt 1974: Zaire 2–0 Zambia (after replay. First game ended 2-2)
  • Ethiopia 1976: Morocco won the title while Guinea finished in a round robin final round.
  • Ghana 1978: Ghana 2–0 Uganda
  • Nigeria 1980: Nigeria 3–0 Algeria
  • Libya 1982: Ghana 1–1 Libya (7–6) on penalties
  • Ivory Coast 1984: Cameroon 3 – 1 Nigeria
  • Egypt 1986:  Egypt 0–0 Cameroon (5–4) on penalties Morocco 1988: Cameroon 1–0 Nigeria
  • Algeria 1990: Algeria 1–0 Nigeria
  • Senegal 1992: Côte d’Ivoire 0–0 Ghana (11–10) on penalties
  • Tunisia 1994: Nigeria 2–1 Zambia
  • South Africa 1996: South Africa 2–0 Tunisia Burkina Faso 1998: Egypt 2–0 South Africa
  • Ghana/Nigeria 2000: Cameroon 2–2 Nigeria   (4–3) on penalties
  • Mali 2002: Cameroon 0–0 Senegal (3-2) on penalties
  • Tunisia 2004: Tunisia 2–1 Morocco
  • Egypt 2006: Egypt 0–0 Ivory Coast (4–2) on penalties
  • Ghana 2008: Egypt 1–0 Cameroon
  • Angola 2010: Egypt 1–0 Ghana Gabon/Equatorial Guinea 2012: Zambia 0-0 Ivory Coast (8-7) on penalties
  • South Africa 2013: Nigeria 1-0 Burkina Faso
  • Equatorial Guinea 2015: Ivory Coast 0-0 Ghana (9-8 on penalties)
  • Gabon 2017: Cameroon 2-1 Egypt

Titles by country Egypt: 7 Cameroon: 5 Ghana: 4 Nigeria: 3 Cote d’Ivoire: 2 DR Congo: 2 Algeria: 1 Congo: 1 Ethiopia: 1 Morocco: 1 South Africa: 1 Sudan: 1 Tunisia: 1 Zambia: 1 — Supersport