# 2023 COSAFA Cup

The 2023 COSAFA Cup was the 22nd edition of the annual association football competition organized by COSAFA. It was held in South Africa for the sixth straight year, this time in Durban, from 5 to 16 July 2023. Zambia were the defending champions.

## Participating nations

| National team | FIFA Ranking (31 March 2023) | Best Performance |
| Eswatini | 144 | Semi-finals (1999, 2002, 2003, 2021) |
| Mauritius | 180 | Quarter-finals (2001, 2004) |
| Comoros | 131 | Group stage |
| Lesotho | 150 | Runners-up (2000) |
| Botswana | 152 | Runners-up (2016, 2019) |
| Malawi | 127 | Runners-up (2002, 2003) |
| Zambia | 86 | Champions (1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2019, 2022) |
| Mozambique | 119 | Runners-up (2008, 2015) |
| Namibia | 106 | Champions (2015) |
| South Africa | 66 | Champions (2002, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2021) |
| Angola | 118 | Champions (1999, 2001, 2004) |
| Seychelles | 197 | Group stage |

## Format

For the first time, all participants will enter the Group Stage for three groups of four nations. The winners of each group and best runner-up will advance to the knockout stages. The new format guarantees between three and five matches for each team. No plate competitions will be held in this edition of the tournament.

## Venues

| UmlaziKwaMashuDurban |
| UmlaziKwaMashuDurban | Umlazi | KwaMashu | Durban | Durban |
| UmlaziKwaMashuDurban | King Zwelithini Stadium | Princess Magogo Stadium | Chatsworth Stadium | Moses Mabhida Stadium |
| UmlaziKwaMashuDurban | Capacity: 10,000 | Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 22,000 | Capacity: 85,000 |

## Draw

The draw for the group stage of the 2023 COSAFA Cup was held on 26 May 2023 in Johannesburg.

## Group stage

Group stage matches will be played between 5–12 July 2023.

### Group A

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | South Africa | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 7 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Botswana | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
| 3 | Eswatini | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 4 | −1 | 3 | |
| 4 | Namibia | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 2 | |

### Group B

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Malawi | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 9 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Zambia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage based on ranking |
| 3 | Comoros | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 3 | |
| 4 | Seychelles | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9 | −7 | 0 | |

### Group C

| Pos | Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Lesotho | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | Angola | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 | |
| 3 | Mozambique | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |
| 4 | Mauritius | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 3 | |

### Best Runner-up Table

| Pos | Grp | Team | Pld | W | T | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | B | Zambia | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 4 | +2 | 6 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 2 | C | Angola | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 4 | +1 | 4 | |
| 3 | A | Botswana | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | |

## Knockout stage

Semi-final matches where played on the 14 July 2023. The final and third-place matches where played two days later at the King Zwelithini Stadium.

### Bracket

| Semi-Finals | Semi-Finals | Final | Final |
| 14 Jul – Durban | 14 Jul – Durban |
| Malawi | 1(0) |
| Malawi | 1(0) | 16 Jul – Durban | 16 Jul – Durban |
| Lesotho (p) | 1(3) | 16 Jul – Durban | 16 Jul – Durban |
| Lesotho (p) | 1(3) | Lesotho | 0 |
| 14 Jul – Durban | 14 Jul – Durban | | Lesotho | 0 |
| 14 Jul – Durban | 14 Jul – Durban | Zambia | 1 |
| South Africa | 1 | Zambia | 1 |
| Zambia | 2 | | |
| Zambia | 2 | Third-Place | Third-Place |
| | | 16 Jul - Durban | 16 Jul - Durban |
| | | Malawi | 0(3) |
| | | South Africa(p) | 0(5) |

### Final
## Statistics
### Goalscorers

There were 48 goals scored in 22 matches, for an average of 2.18 goals per match.
3 goals
* Tshegofatso Mabasa
* Albert Kangwanda
2 goals
* Affane Djambae
* Bongwa Matsebula
* Neo Mokhachane
* Chawanangwa Kaonga
* Golden Mashata
* Fredrick Mulambia
1 goal
* Moisés Amor
* Mankoka Afonso
* Cesar Cangue
* Emanuel Goncalves
* Osvaldo Moseka
* Lebogang Ditsele
* Thatayaone Kgamanyane
* Raidou Bacar
* Ibroihim Djoudja
* Sifiso Matse
* Tumelo Makha
* Rethabile Mokokoane
* Motebang Sera
* Marie Matthieu Aurélien François
* Christopher Jacama Kumwembe
* Patrick Mwaungulu
* Lanjesi Nkhoma
* Dayo António
* Ali Abudo
* Elmo Kambindu
* Absalom Iimbondi
* Brandon Labrosse
* Warren Mellie
* Rowan Human
* Shaune Mogaila
* Iqraam Rayners
* Killian Kanguluma
* Moyela Libamba
1 own goal
* Aaron Katebe (against Malawi)