Super Eagles Of Nigeria Have 8.1% Chance Of Winning 2023 AFCON (See Favourite)

The Super Eagles of Nigeria are not the favourites to win the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast, according to Opta’s artificial intelligence prediction model.

Even though the Super Eagles currently have the best player in Africa, Victor Osimhen, the highest goalscorer during the 2023 AFCON qualifiers with ten goals, they have just an 8.1 percent chance of winning the tournament.

According to the model published by the BBC, the Super Eagles have an 85.3 percent chance of reaching the round of 16, 48.5 percent chance of reaching the quarter-finals, and 27.6 percent chance of reaching the semi-finals.

The reigning African champions, Senegal, are favoured by the model to win the 2023 AFCON with a 12.8% chance, just ahead of the hosts, Ivory Coast (12.1%), who are trying to capture the trophy for a third time after winning it in 1992 and 2015.

Morocco (11.1%) is ranked third by the prediction model as the country with the strongest chance of winning. They have not passed the quarter-finals in their last seven Afcon appearances after losing the 2004 final 2-1 to Tunisia. They last won the title in 1976, for the second time in their history.

Egypt (8.5%) and Algeria (9.7%) are the next most likely winners. Algeria has the highest possibility of making it to the round of 16 (91.5%), which could increase their chances of winning because they have a simpler group than some of the other leading contenders.

According to Opta’s predictor model, the top seven teams are comprised of three-time Afcon champions, Nigeria, and five-time champions, Cameroon. As mentioned earlier, the Super Eagles have an 8.1% chance of taking home the title, while Cameroon have a 7.5% chance.

Note that the Super Eagles will commence their campaign in the tournament in Group A against Equatoria Guinea on January 14. The hosts, Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissa, are also in Group A.