The Africa Cup of Nations kicked off with a group stage that will see the field of 24 teams whittled down to 16, and there are sure to be some surprises along the way.
Similar to the Euros, the top two teams in each of the six groups (Groups A-F) will advance to the Round of 16 along with the four best third-place finishers. Each nation plays three group-stage games and they are ranked by points — three for a win, one for a draw and none for losses — with tiebreakers in place if teams are level on points (see tiebreaker list at the end of this post).
The knockout bracket is already predetermined as indicated in the schedule below, and teams that advance will secure specific slots in the bracket based on their group finish. The knockout stages start with the Round of 16 and run all the way to the final with 30 minutes of extra time and penalty-kick shootouts employed in case of a draw after 90 minutes.
MORE: AFCON top scorers | Best AFCON kits
Here are the updated AFCON group standings, schedules, results and highlights, including TV and streaming info in the USA and Canada.
Note: PTS = Points, GP = Games Played, W = Wins, L = Losses, D = Draws, GF = Goals For (scored), GA = Goals Against (conceded), GD = Goal Difference (goals scored less goals conceded)
AFCON 2022 standings
Group A table
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| Cameroon |
6 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
6 |
2 |
+4 |
| Burkina Faso |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| Cape Verde |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
| Ethiopia |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
5 |
-4 |
Group A schedule & results
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV / Stream |
| Sun, Jan. 9 |
Cameroon 2, Burkina Faso 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Sun, Jan. 9 |
Ethiopia 0, Cape Verde 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Thurs, Jan. 13 |
Cameroon 4, Ethiopia 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Thurs, Jan. 13 |
Cape Verde 0, Burkina Faso 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Mon, Jan. 17 |
Cape Verde vs. Cameroon |
11 a.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Mon, Jan. 17 |
Burkina Faso vs. Ethiopia |
11 a.m. |
beIN Sports / fuboTV |
Group B table
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| Senegal |
4 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
| Guinea |
4 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
| Malawi |
3 |
2 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
| Zimbabwe |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
3 |
-2 |
Group B schedule & results
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV / Stream |
| Mon, Jan. 10 |
Senegal 1, Zimbabwe 0 |
Highlights |
|
| Mon, Jan. 10 |
Guinea 1, Malawi 0 |
Highlights |
|
| Fri, Jan. 14 |
Senegal 0, Guinea 0 |
Highlights |
|
| Fri, Jan. 14 |
Malawi 2, Zimbabwe 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Tues, Jan. 18 |
Malawi vs. Senegal |
11 a.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Tues, Jan. 18 |
Zimbabwe vs. Guinea |
11 a.m. |
beIN CONNECT |
Group C table
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| Morocco-X |
6 |
2 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
0 |
+3 |
| Gabon |
4 |
2 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
2 |
1 |
+1 |
| Ghana |
1 |
2 |
0 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
2 |
-1 |
| Comoros |
0 |
2 |
0 |
2 |
0 |
0 |
3 |
-3 |
X = Qualified to Round of 16
Group C schedule & results
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV / Stream |
| Mon, Jan. 10 |
Morocco 1, Ghana 0 |
Highlights |
|
| Mon, Jan. 10 |
Comoros 0, Gabon 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Fri, Jan. 14 |
Morocco 2, Comoros 0 |
Highlights |
|
| Fri, Jan. 14 |
Gabon 1, Ghana 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Tues, Jan. 18 |
Gabon vs. Morocco |
2 p.m. |
beIN Sports / fuboTV |
| Tues, Jan. 18 |
Ghana vs. Comoros |
2 p.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
Group D table
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| Nigeria |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
| Sudan |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Guinea-Bissau |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Egypt |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
Group D schedule & results
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV & Stream |
| Tues, Jan. 11 |
Nigeria 1, Egypt 0 |
Highlights |
|
| Tues, Jan. 11 |
Sudan 0, Guinea-Bissau 0 |
Highlights |
|
| Sat, Jan. 15 |
Nigeria vs. Sudan |
11 a.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Sat, Jan. 15 |
Guinea-Bissau vs. Egypt |
2 p.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Wed, Jan. 19 |
Guinea-Bissau vs. Nigeria |
2 p.m. |
beIN Sports / fuboTV |
| Wed, Jan. 19 |
Egypt vs. Sudan |
2 p.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
Group E table
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| Ivory Coast |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
| Algeria |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Sierra Leone |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
| Equ. Guinea |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
Group E schedule & results
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV & Stream |
| Tues, Jan. 11 |
Algeria 0, Sierra Leone 0 |
Highlights |
|
| Wed, Jan. 12 |
Equ. Guinea 0, Ivory Coast 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Sun, Jan. 16 |
Ivory Coast vs. Sierra Leone |
11 a.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Sun, Jan. 16 |
Algeria vs. Equ. Guinea |
2 p.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Thurs, Jan. 20 |
Ivory Coast vs. Algeria |
11 a.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Thurs, Jan. 20 |
Sierra Leone vs. Equ. Guinea |
11 a.m. |
beIN CONNECT |
Group F table
| Team |
PTS |
GP |
W |
L |
D |
GF |
GA |
GD |
| Mali |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
| Gambia |
3 |
1 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
+1 |
| Mauritania |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
| Tunisia |
0 |
1 |
0 |
1 |
0 |
0 |
1 |
-1 |
Group F schedule & results
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV & Stream |
| Wed, Jan. 12 |
Tunisia 0, Mali 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Wed, Jan. 12 |
Mauritania 0, Gambia 1 |
Highlights |
|
| Sun, Jan. 16 |
Gambia vs. Mali |
8 a.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Sun, Jan. 16 |
Tunisia vs. Mauritania |
11 a.m. |
— |
| Thurs, Jan. 20 |
Gambia vs. Tunisia |
2 p.m. |
beIN XTRA / fuboTV |
| Thurs, Jan. 20 |
Mali vs. Mauritania |
2 p.m. |
beIN Sports / fuboTV |
MORE: Controversy mars end of Tunisia vs. Mali
Round of 16
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV channels |
Stream |
| Sun, Jan. 23 |
RD16 #1: A2 vs. C2 |
11 a.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Sun, Jan. 23 |
RD16 #2: D1 vs. B3/E3/F3 |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Mon, Jan. 24 |
RD16 #3: B2 vs. F2 |
11 a.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Mon, Jan. 24 |
RD16 #4: A1 vs. C3/D3/E3 |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Tues, Jan. 25 |
RD16 #5: B1 vs. A3/C3/D3 |
11 a.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Tues, Jan. 25 |
RD16 #6: C1 vs. A3/B3/F3 |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Wed, Jan. 26 |
RD16 #7: E1 vs. D2 |
11 a.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Wed, Jan. 26 |
RD16 #8: F1 vs. E2 |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
Quarterfinals
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV channels |
Stream |
| Sat, Jan. 29 |
QF1: RD16 #3 vs. RD16 #4 |
11 a.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Sat, Jan. 29 |
QF2: RD16 #1 vs. RD16 #2 |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Sun, Jan. 30 |
QF3: RD16 #7 vs. RD16 #6 |
11 a.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Sun, Jan. 30 |
QF4: RD16 #5 vs. RD16 #8 |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
Semifinals
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV channels |
Stream |
| Wed, Feb. 2 |
QF2 vs. QF4 |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Thurs, Feb. 3 |
QF3 vs. QF1 |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
Final & 3rd Place
| Date |
Match |
Time (ET) |
TV channels |
Stream |
| Sun, Feb. 6 |
3rd Place |
11 a.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
| Sun, Feb. 6 |
Final |
2 p.m. |
TBD |
fuboTV |
AFCON 2022 group tiebreakers
If two teams finish even on points in the group stage the following tiebreakers are applied to determine their ranking, according to the official competition rules:
- Most points obtained in matches between the two teams;
- Goal difference in all group matches;
- Most goals scored in all group matches;
- Drawing of lots (i.e. random draw).
If three or more teams finished tied on points at the end of the group stage, the tiebreaker formula changes slightly:
- Most points obtained in matches between the teams concerned;
- Goal difference in matches between the teams concerned;
- Most goals scored in matches between the teams concerned;
- Goal difference in all group matches;
- Mostr goals scored in all group matches;
- Drawing of lots (i.e. random draw).
One twist to the scenario involving three or more teams: If tiebreakers Nos. 1-3 succeed in separating at least one team from the rest, then those same tiebreakers Nos. 1-3 are reapplied to the remaining teams before moving on to criteria Nos. 4-6.
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