1996 African Cup of Nations

The 1996 African Cup of Nations was the 20th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa (CAF). It was hosted by South Africa, who replaced original hosts Kenya. The field expanded for the first time to 16 teams, split into four groups of four; the top two teams in each group advancing to the quarterfinals. However, Nigeria withdrew from the tournament at the final moment under pressure from then-dictator Sani Abacha, reducing the field to 15.[1] South Africa won its first championship, beating Tunisia in the final 2–0.[2]

1996 African Cup of Nations
African Cup of Nations 1996 official logo
Tournament details
Host countrySouth Africa
Dates13 January – 3 February
Teams15
Venue(s)4 (in 4 host cities)
Final positions
Champions South Africa (1st title)
Runners-up Tunisia
Third place Zambia
Fourth place Ghana
Tournament statistics
Matches played29
Goals scored78 (2.69 per match)
Attendance640,880 (22,099 per match)
Top scorer(s)Zambia Kalusha Bwalya
(5 goals)
Best player(s)Zambia Kalusha Bwalya

Qualified teams
Participating nations

For full qualification see: 1996 African Cup of Nations qualification

* Nigeria withdrew prior to the start of the finals. Guinea, as the best side to not qualify, was offered Nigeria's spot in the finals, but declined due to a lack of preparation time.

Squads
Main article: 1996 African Cup of Nations squads

Venues
Johannesburg
Durban
FNB StadiumKings Park Stadium
Capacity: 80,000Capacity: 52,000
BloemfonteinPort Elizabeth
Free State StadiumEPRU Stadium
Capacity: 40,000Capacity: 33,852

First round

Teams highlighted in green progress to the Quarter Finals.

Group A

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  South Africa (H) 3 2 0 1 4 1 +3 6 Advance to knockout stage
2  Egypt 3 2 0 1 4 3 +1 6
3  Cameroon 3 1 1 1 5 7 −2 4
4  Angola 3 0 1 2 4 6 −2 1
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source:
(H) Hosts
South Africa 3–0 Cameroon
Masinga 15'
Williams 37'
Moshoeu 55'
Attendance: 75,000
Egypt 2–1 Angola
El-Kass 30', 33' Quinzinho 77'
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Sidi Bekaye Magassa (Mali)
Cameroon 2–1 Egypt
Omam-Biyik 36' (pen.)
Tchami 59'		 Maher 48'
Attendance: 4,000
South Africa 1–0 Angola
Williams 57'
Attendance: 28,000
Referee: Fethi Boucetta (Tunisia)
South Africa 0–1 Egypt
El-Kass 7'
Attendance: 20,000
Angola 3–3 Cameroon
Joni 38' (pen.)
Paulão 57'
Quinzinho 80'		 Omam-Biyik 25'
Mouyeme 82'
Vicente 90' (o.g.)
Attendance: 6,000
Referee: Mohamed Kouradji (Algeria)

Group B

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Zambia 3 2 1 0 9 1 +8 7 Advance to knockout stage
2  Algeria 3 2 1 0 4 1 +3 7
3  Sierra Leone 3 1 0 2 2 7 −5 3
4  Burkina Faso 3 0 0 3 3 9 −6 0
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source:
Zambia 0–0 Algeria
Attendance: 9,000
Sierra Leone 2–1 Burkina Faso
Sessay 11'
Kallon 89'		 Ouédraogo 74'
Attendance: 1,500
Referee: Okoampa (Ghana)
Algeria 2–0 Sierra Leone
Meçabih 41', 63'
Attendance: 1,500
Zambia 5–1 Burkina Faso
Malitoli 18'
K. Bwalya 24', 35'
Lota 44'
J. Bwalya 45'		 Y. Traoré 53'
Attendance: 2,000
Algeria 2–1 Burkina Faso
Lounici 2'
Dziri 75'		 Zongo 83'
Attendance: 180
Referee: Charles Masembe (Uganda)
Zambia 4–0 Sierra Leone
K. Bwalya 2', 9', 84'
Malitoli 87'
Attendance: 200

Group C

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Gabon 2 1 0 1 3 2 +1 3 Advance to knockout stage
2  Zaire 2 1 0 1 2 2 0 3
3  Liberia 2 1 0 1 2 3 −1 3
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source:
Gabon 1–2 Liberia
Nzeng 59' Sebwe 5' (pen.)
Sarr 54'
Attendance: 5,000
Gabon 2–0 Zaire
Mackaya 21' (pen.)
Bekogo 34'
Attendance: 4,000
Referee: Omer Yengo (Congo)
Zaire 2–0 Liberia
Lukaku 5' (pen.)
Essende 72'
Attendance: 3,000

 Nigeria withdrew, so their three matches were canceled.

  • vs.  Zaire, 16 January 1996
  • vs.  Liberia, 19 January 1996
  • vs.  Gabon, 25 January 1996

Group D

Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1  Ghana 3 3 0 0 6 1 +5 9 Advance to knockout stage
2  Tunisia 3 1 1 1 5 4 +1 4
3  Ivory Coast 3 1 0 2 2 5 −3 3
4  Mozambique 3 0 1 2 1 4 −3 1
Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source:
Ghana 2–0 Ivory Coast
Yeboah 20'
Pelé 70'
Attendance: 8,000
Tunisia 1–1 Mozambique
Berkhissa 24' Bucuane 4'
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Charles Masembe (Uganda)
Ghana 2–1 Tunisia
Pelé 50'
Akonnor 77'		 Ben Younes 72'
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Petros Mathabela (South Africa)
Ivory Coast 1–0 Mozambique
Tiéhi 32'
Attendance: 500
Tunisia 3–1 Ivory Coast
Ben Younes 32', 38'
Ben Hassen 48'		 M. Traoré 84'
Attendance: 1,000
Referee: Sidi Bekaye Magassa (Mali)
Ghana 2–0 Mozambique
Pelé 42'
Aboagye 68'
Attendance: 3,500

Knockout stage
 
Quarter-finalsSemi-finalsFinal
 
          
 
 27 January – Johannesburg
 
 
  South Africa 2
 
 31 January – Johannesburg
 
  Algeria 1
 
  South Africa 3
 
 28 January – Port Elizabeth
 
  Ghana 0
 
  Ghana 1
 
 3 February – Johannesburg
 
  Zaire 0
 
  South Africa 2
 
 27 January – Bloemfontein
 
  Tunisia 0
 
  Zambia 3
 
 31 January – Durban
 
  Egypt 1
 
  Zambia 2
 
 28 January – Durban
 
  Tunisia 4 Third place
 
  Gabon 1 (1)
 
 3 February – Johannesburg
 
  Tunisia (pen.) 1 (4)
 
  Ghana 0
 
 
  Zambia 1
 

Quarterfinals
South Africa 2–1 Algeria
Fish 72'
Moshoeu 85'		 Report Lazizi 84'
Attendance: 80,000
Zambia 3–1 Egypt
Litana 58'
Mutale 65'
Lota 76'		 Report S. Kamouna 43'
Attendance: 8,500
Referee: Charles Masembe (Uganda)
Gabon 1–1 (a.e.t.) Tunisia
Mackaya 16' Report Baya 10'
Penalties
Mackaya soccer ball with red X
Kassa-Ngoma soccer ball with red X
Bekogo-Zogo soccer ball with check mark		 1–4 soccer ball with check mark Sellimi
soccer ball with check mark Fekhi
soccer ball with check mark Ben Slimane
soccer ball with check mark El Ouaer
Attendance: 4,000
Ghana 1–0 Zaire
Yeboah 22' Report
Attendance: 8,000
Referee: Sidi Bekaye Magassa (Mali)

Semifinals
South Africa 3–0 Ghana
Moshoeu 22', 87'
Bartlett 46'
Attendance: 75,000
Zambia 2–4 Tunisia
Lota 68'
Makasa 90'		 Sellimi 16', 85' (pen.)
Baya 20'
Ghodhbane 47'
Attendance: 5,000

Third place match
Ghana 0–1 Zambia
J. Bwalya 51'
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Omer Yengo (Congo)

Final
Main article: 1996 African Cup of Nations Final
South Africa 2–0 Tunisia
Williams 73', 75'
Attendance: 80,000
Referee: Charles Masembe (Uganda)

Scorers

5 goals

4 goals

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

Own goal

CAF Team of the Tournament

Goalkeeper

Defenders

Midfielders

Forwards

References
  1. "Nigerian players back boycott of finals". Independent.co.uk. 10 January 1996. Archived from the original on 1 May 2022.
  2. "'South Africa's Rugby World Cup win was big – but this was even bigger'" – via www.bbc.co.uk.
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