Algeria – The Greens – Coach: Djamel Belmadi

Number of AFCON Titles:
Algeria has won the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) twice: in 1990 by defeating Nigeria 1-0 and in 2019 by defeating Senegal 1-0.

Player to Watch:
Riyad Mahrez, arguably the best player for the Algerian national team, won multiple titles in 2019 before moving to Al Ahli in the Saudi Pro-League. Mahrez was a key player in Algeria's second AFCON title in 2019 and is Algeria's all-time top scorer in AFCON with 6 goals.

Previous AFCON Performance:
In the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2021, Algeria, the defending champion, failed to successfully defend its title, as they couldn't advance past the group stage and finished last in their group with only one point.

Angola – The Black Antelopes – Coach: Pedro Goncalves

AFCON Best Performance:
Angola has never progressed beyond the quarter-finals (2008, 2010) in any of the editions it has participated in, boasting a total of 5 victories in its history in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Historic Top Scorer in AFCON:
Manucho holds the record as Angola's top scorer in AFCON with 9 goals in 14 matches, participating in six editions: 2008, 2010, 2012, 2013.

Player to Watch:
Gelson Dalo, forward for Al-Wakrah S.C. in the Qatar Football League, is currently Angola's top scorer in AFCON with two goals at the age of 28, aiming to make history for Angola.

Previous Edition Performance:
In Angola's last participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, which was in Egypt 2019, the team failed to advance from the group stage, finishing last in their group with two losses and one draw.

Mauritania – The Lions of Chinguetti - Coach: Amir Abdou

AFCON Best Performance:
Mauritania has never advanced past the group stage in any of the editions it has participated in (2019, 2021), managing only draws and no victories in its history in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Historic Top Scorer in AFCON:
Mauritania has only one goal in its entire history in the Africa Cup of Nations, scored by Moctar Sidi Al-Hacen from Al-Messaimeer in the second division of Qatar.

Player to Watch:
Aboubakar Camara, forward for Al-Jazira, with three goals that qualified Mauritania for the Africa Cup of Nations for the third consecutive time.

Previous Edition Performance:
In Mauritania's last participation in the Africa Cup of Nations, which was in the 2021 edition, the team failed to advance from the group stage, finishing last in their group with three defeats.

Burkina Faso – The Stallions – Coach: Hubert Velud

Best AFCON Performance:
The highlight in Burkina Faso's history in the Africa Cup of Nations was their remarkable performance in the 2013 edition. On that occasion, the Burkinabé team reached the final but couldn't secure the title, settling for the runner-up position against Nigeria.

Player to Watch:
Bertrand Traoré, undoubtedly the best player in the team, is the star and reference for Aston Villa. The 28-year-old attacker has been a key player for the English club's successful campaign in the Premier League.

Previous AFCON Performance:
In the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2021, Burkina Faso had a strong showing, reaching the semifinals after eliminating Tunisia in the quarterfinals. However, they suffered a 3-1 defeat to the eventual champions, Senegal, in the semifinals and later lost to Cameroon in the third-place play-off.