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.^[1] South Africa won its first championship, beating Tunisia in the final 2–0.^[2]

1996 African Cup of Nations

African Cup of Nations 1996 official logo
Tournament details
Host country	South Africa
Dates	13 January – 3 February
Teams	15
Venue(s)	4 (in 4 host cities)
Final positions
Champions	South Africa (1st title)
Runners-up	Tunisia
Third place	Zambia
Fourth place	Ghana
Tournament statistics
Matches played	29
Goals scored	78 (2.69 per match)
Attendance	640,880 (22,099 per match)
Top scorer(s)	Kalusha Bwalya (5 goals)
Best player(s)	Kalusha Bwalya
← 1994 1998 →

Qualified teams

Participating nations

For full qualification see: 1996 African Cup of Nations qualification

Team	Qualified as	Qualified on	Previous appearances in tournament[a]
South Africa	Hosts		0 (debut)
Nigeria[b]	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

1. Bold indicates champion for that year, Italic indicates host.
2. 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.

Squads

Main article: 1996 African Cup of Nations squads

Venues

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

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: ^{[citation needed]}
(H) Hosts

13 January 1996

South Africa	3–0	Cameroon
Masinga 15' Williams 37' Moshoeu 55'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 75,000

Referee: Said Belqola (Morocco)

---

15 January 1996

Egypt	2–1	Angola
El-Kass 30', 33'		Quinzinho 77'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 6,000

Referee: Sidi Bekaye Magassa (Mali)

---

18 January 1996

Cameroon	2–1	Egypt
Omam-Biyik 36' (pen.) Tchami 59'		Maher 48'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 4,000

Referee: Lim Kee Chong (Mauritius)

---

20 January 1996

South Africa	1–0	Angola
Williams 57'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 28,000

Referee: Fethi Boucetta (Tunisia)

---

24 January 1996

South Africa	0–1	Egypt
		El-Kass 7'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 20,000

Referee: Lucien Bouchardeau (Niger)

---

24 January 1996

Angola	3–3	Cameroon
Joni 38' (pen.) Paulão 57' Quinzinho 80'		Omam-Biyik 25' Mouyeme 82' Vicente 90' (o.g.)

Kings Park Stadium, Durban

Attendance: 6,000

Referee: Mohamed Kouradji (Algeria)

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
3	Sierra Leone	3	1	0	2	2	7	−5	3
4	Burkina Faso	3	0	0	3	3	9	−6	0

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: ^{[citation needed]}

14 January 1996

Zambia	0–0	Algeria

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Attendance: 9,000

Referee: Ali Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)

---

15 January 1996

Sierra Leone	2–1	Burkina Faso
Sessay 11' Kallon 89'		Ouédraogo 74'

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Attendance: 1,500

Referee: Okoampa (Ghana)

---

18 January 1996

Algeria	2–0	Sierra Leone
Meçabih 41', 63'

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Attendance: 1,500

Referee: Ian McLeod (South Africa)

---

20 January 1996

Zambia	5–1	Burkina Faso
Malitoli 18' K. Bwalya 24', 35' Lota 44' J. Bwalya 45'		Y. Traoré 53'

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Attendance: 2,000

Referee: Masayoshi Okada (Japan)

---

24 January 1996

Algeria	2–1	Burkina Faso
Lounici 2' Dziri 75'		Zongo 83'

EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Attendance: 180

Referee: Charles Masembe (Uganda)

---

24 January 1996

Zambia	4–0	Sierra Leone
K. Bwalya 2', 9', 84' Malitoli 87'

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Attendance: 200

Referee: Lim Kee Chong (Mauritius)

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
3	Liberia	2	1	0	1	2	3	−1	3

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: ^{[citation needed]}

16 January 1996

Gabon	1–2	Liberia
Nzeng 59'		Sebwe 5' (pen.) Sarr 54'

Kings Park Stadium, Durban

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Gamal Al-Ghandour (Egypt)

---

19 January 1996

Gabon	2–0	Zaire
Mackaya 21' (pen.) Bekogo 34'

Kings Park Stadium, Durban

Attendance: 4,000

Referee: Omer Yengo (Congo)

---

25 January 1996

Zaire	2–0	Liberia
Lukaku 5' (pen.) Essende 72'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 3,000

Referee: Said Belqola (Morocco)

---

 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
3	Ivory Coast	3	1	0	2	2	5	−3	3
4	Mozambique	3	0	1	2	1	4	−3	1

Updated to match(es) played on unknown. Source: ^{[citation needed]}

14 January 1996

Ghana	2–0	Ivory Coast
Yeboah 20' Pelé 70'

EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Attendance: 8,000

Referee: Masayoshi Okada (Japan)

---

16 January 1996

Tunisia	1–1	Mozambique
Berkhissa 24'		Tico-Tico 4'

EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Attendance: 1,000

Referee: Charles Masembe (Uganda)

---

19 January 1996

Ghana	2–1	Tunisia
Pelé 50' Akonnor 77'		Ben Younes 72'

EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Attendance: 1,000

Referee: Petros Mathabela (South Africa)

---

21 January 1996

Ivory Coast	1–0	Mozambique
Tiéhi 32'

EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Attendance: 500

Referee: Gamal Al-Ghandour (Egypt)

---

25 January 1996

Tunisia	3–1	Ivory Coast
Ben Younes 32', 38' Ben Hassen 48'		M. Traoré 84'

EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Attendance: 1,000

Referee: Sidi Bekaye Magassa (Mali)

---

25 January 1996

Ghana	2–0	Mozambique
Pelé 42' Aboagye 68'

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Attendance: 3,500

Referee: Ali Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)

Knockout stage

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

Quarterfinals

27 January 1996

South Africa	2–1	Algeria
Fish 72' Moshoeu 85'	Report	Lazizi 84'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 80,000

Referee: Ali Bujsaim (United Arab Emirates)

---

27 January 1996

Zambia	3–1	Egypt
Litana 58' Mutale 65' Lota 76'	Report	S. Kamouna 43'

Free State Stadium, Bloemfontein

Attendance: 8,500

Referee: Charles Masembe (Uganda)

---

28 January 1996

Gabon	1–1 (a.e.t.)	Tunisia
Mackaya 16'	Report	Baya 10'
Penalties
Mackaya Ngoma Bekogo	1–4	Sellimi Fekhi Ben Slimane El Ouaer

Kings Park Stadium, Durban

Attendance: 4,000

Referee: Lim Kee Chong (Mauritius)

---

28 January 1996

Ghana	1–0	Zaire
Yeboah 22'	Report

EPRU Stadium, Port Elizabeth

Attendance: 8,000

Referee: Sidi Bekaye Magassa (Mali)

Semifinals

31 January 1996

South Africa	3–0	Ghana
Moshoeu 22', 87' Bartlett 46'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 75,000

Referee: Gamal Al-Ghandour (Egypt)

---

31 January 1996

Zambia	2–4	Tunisia
Lota 68' Makasa 90'		Sellimi 16', 85' (pen.) Baya 20' Ghodhbane 47'

Kings Park Stadium, Durban

Attendance: 5,000

Referee: Lucien Bouchardeau (Niger)

Third place match

3 February 1996

Ghana	0–1	Zambia
		J. Bwalya 51'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 80,000

Referee: Omer Yengo (Congo)

Final

Main article: 1996 African Cup of Nations Final

3 February 1996

South Africa	2–0	Tunisia
Williams 73', 75'

FNB Stadium, Johannesburg

Attendance: 80,000

Referee: Charles Masembe (Uganda)

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