# 1996 African Cup of Nations

The 1996 African Cup of Nations, also known as the Coca-Cola 1996 Africa Cup of Nations for sponsorship reasons, 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. South Africa won its first championship, beating Tunisia in the final 2–0.

## Qualified teams

For full qualification see: 1996 African Cup of Nations qualification
| Team | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearances in tournament |
| South Africa | Hosts | | 0 (debut) |
| Nigeria | Holders | 10 April 1994 | 10 (1963, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994) |
| Gabon | Group 5 winners | 4 June 1995 | 1 (1994) |
| Zaire | Group 1 winners | 4 June 1995 | 9 (1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1988, 1992, 1994) |
| Zambia | Group 5 runners-up | 15 July 1995 | 7 (1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994) |
| Algeria | Group 4 runners-up | 30 July 1995 | 8 (1968, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992) |
| Angola | Group 6 winners | 30 July 1995 | 0 (debut) |
| Burkina Faso | Group 7 winners | 30 July 1995 | 1 (1978) |
| Cameroon | Group 1 runners-up | 30 July 1995 | 8 (1970, 1972, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992) |
| Egypt | Group 4 winners | 30 July 1995 | 14 (1957, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1970, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994) |
| Ghana | Group 3 winners | 30 July 1995 | 10 (1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1978, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1992, 1994) |
| Ivory Coast | Group 7 runners-up | 30 July 1995 | 11 (1965, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994) |
| Liberia | Group 2 runners-up | 30 July 1995 | 0 (debut) |
| Mozambique | Group 6 runners-up | 30 July 1995 | 1 (1986) |
| Sierra Leone | Group 3 runners-up | 30 July 1995 | 1 (1994) |
| Tunisia | Group 2 winners | 30 July 1995 | 6 (1962, 1963, 1965, 1978, 1982, 1994) |

### Notes

* ↑ Bold indicates champion for that year, Italic indicates host.
* ↑ 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.

## Venues

| Johannesburg | JohannesburgDurbanBloemfonteinPort Elizabeth | Durban |
| FNB Stadium | JohannesburgDurbanBloemfonteinPort Elizabeth | Kings Park Stadium |
| Capacity: 80,000 | JohannesburgDurbanBloemfonteinPort Elizabeth | Capacity: 52,000 |
| Bloemfontein | JohannesburgDurbanBloemfonteinPort Elizabeth | Port Elizabeth |
| Free State Stadium | JohannesburgDurbanBloemfonteinPort Elizabeth | EPRU Stadium |
| Capacity: 40,000 | JohannesburgDurbanBloemfonteinPort Elizabeth | Capacity: 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 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Cameroon | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 7 | −2 | 4 | |
| 4 | Angola | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 6 | −2 | 1 | |

### 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 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Sierra Leone | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 7 | −5 | 3 | |
| 4 | Burkina Faso | 3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 9 | −6 | 0 | |

### 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 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Liberia | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 3 | −1 | 3 | |
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 | Advance to knockout stage |
| 3 | Ivory Coast | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 3 | |
| 4 | Mozambique | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 | |

## Knockout stage

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

### Final
## Goalscorers

There were 78 goals scored in 29 matches, for an average of 2.69 goals per match.
5 goals
* Kalusha Bwalya
4 goals
* John Moshoeu
* Mark Williams
3 goals
* Abedi Pele
* Ahmed El-Kass
* Imed Ben Younes
* Dennis Lota
2 goals
* Ali Meçabih
* Quinzinho
* François Omam-Biyik
* Brice Mackaya
* Tony Yeboah
* Zoubeir Baya
* Adel Sellimi
* Johnson Bwalya
* Kenneth Malitoli
1 goal
* Billel Dziri
* Tarek Lazizi
* Khaled Lounici
* Joni
* Paulão
* Aboubakari Ouédraogo
* Youssouf Traoré
* Boureima Zongo
* Georges Mouyémé
* Alphonse Tchami
* Joël Tiéhi
* Moussa Traoré
* Samir Ibrahim
* Ali Maher
* Aurélien Bekogo
* Guy Nzeng
* Felix Aboagye
* Charles Akonnor
* Kwame Ayew
* Mass Sarr Jr.
* Kelvin Sebwe
* Tico-Tico
* Mohamed Kallon
* Gbassay Sessay
* Shaun Bartlett
* Mark Fish
* Phil Masinga
* Abdelkader Ben Hassen
* Hédi Berkhissa
* Kaies Ghodhbane
* Liombi Essende
* Roger Lukaku
* Elijah Litana
* Hillary Makasa
* Vincent Mutale
1 own goal
* Hélder Vicente (for Cameroon)

## CAF Team of the Tournament

Goalkeeper
* Chokri El Ouaer
Defenders
* Yasser Radwan
* Mark Fish
* Elijah Litana
* Isaac Asare
Midfielders
* Zoubeir Baya
* Hazem Emam
* Abedi Pele
* Mark Williams
Forwards
* Kalusha Bwalya
* Tony Yeboah