The winner of the match between Nigeria and hosts Ivory Coast in the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final will walk away with $7 million (Ksh1.1 billion).
Confederation of African Football (CAF) set the prize money for the winner at $7 million which was an increment from the previous $5 million set aside for the AFCON 2021 winner.
The first runners-up (loser in the final) will take home a whopping $4 million, a rise from the previous $2.5 million won by Egypt in the 2021 tournament in Cameroon.
On their part, teams knocked out in the semis are set to receive $2.5 million each while those that dropped out at the quarter finals stage will get $1.3 million.
The new prizes set for the various stages represent a rise compared to the previous tournaments.
Besides the prize money from the tournament’s organizer, the various national teams also receive allowances from their respective governments.
Nigeria and Ivory Coast to Eye AFCON Glory
Nigeria will hope to silence a resilient Ivory Coast in the final match slated for Sunday, February 11.
After a shaky beginning in the tournament, Ivory Coast found a fine form in the knockout stages, upsetting bigwigs Senegal in the Round of 16 and later eliminated Mali, and the Democratic Republic of Congo on their way to reaching the finals.
On their part, Nigeria maintained a fine form from the group stages to reach the finals for the first time since 2013 when the Super Eagles last won the tournament.
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Buoyed by a successful group stage run, Nigeria affirmed their credentials in the competition by upsetting rivals Cameroon in the last 16 round and later beating Angola and South Africa.
The 2023 AFCON tournament has been described in some quarters as one of the best in recent history of Africa’s football.
Organizers Lauded for Lively Tournament
From the setbacks suffered by big names to the late equalizers and winners, the tournament has presented both joy and tears for participants and entertained football enthusiasts around the world.
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Speaking in a presser on, CAF President Patrice Motsepe said about two billion people watched the 2023 tournament played in the Ivory Coast.
He noted that the big viewership should signify the success of the tournament, adding that Africans should be proud of the progress made.
The tournament was played in six stadia across five host cities in the West African nations, with citizens of various countries on the continent converging for the biggest sporting event in Africa’s football.
The tally of goals scored in the tournament was at 116 ahead of the final by participants from all corners of the continent.
