2019 U-23 Africa Cup of Nations

2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations
كأس الأمم الأفريقية تحت 23 سنة 2019
Tournament details
Host countryEgypt
Dates8–22 November[1]
Teams8 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)2 (in 1 host city)
Final positions
Champions Egypt (1st title)
Runners-up Ivory Coast
Third place South Africa
Fourth place Ghana
Tournament statistics
Matches played16
Goals scored35 (2.19 per match)
Top scorer(s)Egypt Mostafa Mohamed
(4 goals)[2]
Best player(s)Egypt Ramadan Sobhi[2]
Best goalkeeperEgypt Mohamed Sobhy[2]
Fair play award Egypt[2]
2015
2023

The 2019 Africa U-23 Cup of Nations was the third edition of the Africa U-23 Cup of Nations, the quadrennial international age-restricted football championship organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) for the men's under-23 national teams of Africa. It was hosted by Egypt between 8 and 22 November 2019.

The tournament was initially scheduled to take place in Zambia, but they withdrew from hosting in July 2017.[3] Egypt was announced as the new host nation of the tournament by CAF on 23 September 2017.[4]

Same as previous editions, the tournament served as African qualifying for the Olympic football tournament, with the top three teams of the tournament qualifying for the 2020 Summer Olympic men's football tournament in Japan.

Nigeria were the defending champions, but were eliminated in the group stage. Egypt defeated Ivory Coast 2–1 at extra time in the final, winning the title for the first time in their history, while South Africa came third for the second times in a row after beating Ghana 6–5 on penalties after the match ended 2–2 in their third-place play-off match.[5][6]

  1. ^ "Decisions of CAF Executive Commitee [sic] - 27 & 28 September 2018". CAF. 29 September 2018.
  2. ^ a b c d "Sobhy named Total Man of the competition as Egypt dominates". CAF. 22 November 2019. Archived from the original on 1 February 2020. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  3. ^ "Zambia withdraws from hosting the 2019 U-23 Africa Cup edition". Lusaka Times. 26 July 2017.
  4. ^ "DECISIONS OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE - 23 SEPTEMBER 2017". www.cafonline.com. 23 September 2017. Retrieved 24 September 2017.
  5. ^ "Penalty heartbreak for Ghana as South Africa qualifies to Tokyo". CAF. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.
  6. ^ "Sobhy guides hosts Egypt to historic U-23 title". CAF. 22 November 2019. Retrieved 23 November 2019.