Here, Vodacom Soccer looks at five potential favourites for top honours at the tournament.

1. Morocco

Despite Walid Regragui's insistence that his side are not favourites to lift the 2023 AFCON, there is no doubting the Atlas Lions have a high profile heading into the biennial tournament.

Morocco made history when they became the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup, at the 2022 tournament in Qatar.

Regragui's charges had already beaten Belgium in the group stages before defeating Spain and Portugal in the knockout rounds. They ultimately lost to France in the semis.

Morocco, though, have only won AFCON once, back in 1976, and were quarter-finalists in Cameroon in 2021. They are in a tough group this time around, as they face the Democratic Republic of Congo, Tanzania and Zambia in Group F.

Regragui is, however, targeting at least a semi-final place.

He said on AO Sports: "We possess a talented squad that will enter the Africa Cup of Nations with the utmost determination to bring joy to the Moroccan people.

"Despite our fourth-placed finish in the 2022 World Cup, we are fully prepared to replicate the success we achieved in Qatar.”

2. Senegal

Aliou Cisse's Lions of Teranga head to the Ivory Coast in a precarious position as defending champions.

No team has been able to defend their AFCON trophy since Egypt won a third straight title in 2010.

Senegal were excellent in Cameroon in 2021 and ultimately edged fellow finalists Egypt on penalties after the match had ended goalless at full-time - for their sole AFCON title.

They had emerged from a group containing Guinea, Malawi and Zimbabwe, and won't have it any easier this time around as they face Cameroon, Gambia and Guinea in Group C when the competition finally kicks off this week.

But they were almost as impressive as Morocco at the recent World Cup as they qualified behind the Netherlands in Group A, and ahead of Ecuador and hosts Qatar, only to lose to England in the last 16 - and all without an injured Sadio Mane, who had broken a leg in the lead-up to the tournament.

Their recently married talisman is, however, in fine form leading up to the competition and said his team will do their best to retain their title.

He did, however, admit that he has been blown away by the strength of teams at this year's AFCON.

He said: "While accepting that none of these matches will be easy, we have the ability and determination to reach the knockout stage.

"I believe the 2024 Africa Cup of Nations will be the toughest to win because the line-up is the strongest.

"I cannot recall a stronger field. All the giants are going to be in the Ivory Coast and all of them will be plotting to dethrone us."

Hopefully reports that head coach Cisse wasn't paid for six months leading up to the tournament isn't an indicator of bigger problems within the team.

READ MORE: AFCON 2023: Five football maestros ready to ignite Ivory Coast

3. Egypt

The Pharaohs are seven-time AFCON winners and will be gunning for an eighth title after narrowly missing out to Senegal last time around.

Main-man Mohamed Salah has declared his intentions as he takes time out from Liverpool's Premier League title race, saying: "I want to win the competition."

It took a monumental effort for Egypt to make it to the 2021 final, having overcome Ivory Coast, Morocco and Cameroon in the knockout rounds, with Senegal one step too far for the team that also failed to qualify for the 2022 World Cup.

Head coach Carlos Queiroz was ultimately sacked for his failures and replaced by former Benfica boss Rui Vitoria.

Egypt last won AFCON in 2010 but were also runners-up in 2017, ahead of a last-16 finish in 2019. They are in Group B in the Ivory Coast where they have been pitted against Cape Verde, Ghana and Mozambique.

Vitoria outlined Egypt's aspirations in an interview with Onze Mondial.

He said: "Egypt is part of this group of favourites; we can’t hide it. But Africa is made up of very high-level selections. The continent's main selections see their players play in the five major world championships. This is a reality."

4. Nigeria

The Super Eagles will have something to prove heading to the 34th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria were eliminated at the last 16 in Cameroon in 2021 and lost in their World Cup play-off for a place at the Qatar World Cup to rivals Ghana - to miss out on the showpiece for the first time since 2006.

They have three AFCON titles to their name, last winning the competition in 2013, while they ended in third place in 2019 after missing out in both 2015 and 2017.

But under the tutelage of current head coach Jose Peseiro, the Super Eagles have lost more games than they have won and have not won in their last five matches.

Nigeria have been drawn against hosts Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau in a difficult Group A.

But Peseiro has laid out his intentions, stating on CAFOnline: "We will fight to win the Africa Cup, even though it won't be easy.

"Our group is not easy because we are up against Cote d’Ivoire, who have a good squad and are playing at home.

"Equatorial Guinea reached the quarter-finals at the last AFCON, better than Nigeria."

5. Ivory Coast

Champions in 1992 and more recently in 2015, the AFCON hosts cannot be ruled out as contenders.

While the so-called "Golden generation" of players have long since retired from international duty, there is a sense of expectation hanging over Jean-Louis Gasset's team, who made it as far as the last 16 in 2021.

The Frenchman led his side to this tournament and has called on the home nation to rise up in support as they kick off their competition in the opening game against Guinea-Bissau on January 13.

Also in Group A are Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria.

Gasset said on SuperSport: "The Ivorians must be 100 per cent with us. It is for you that we will fight. We need to feel that you are with us.

"Supporters have an important role to play. Even in difficult moments, if we miss a goal, you have to be there even if we are dominated."

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