Understanding the African nations cup table or standings of the AFCON is key to following the tournament. Whether it’s the qualification groups or the tournament’s group stage, the table tells you which teams are on top and who is in trouble. In this article, we’ll explain how the standings work in AFCON – covering the points system, tie-break rules, and how to read the table – and provide tips on how to interpret them to know who’s advancing or getting eliminated. 

The Points System in AFCON Standings

AFCON uses the standard football points system that is common worldwide for league or group standings:

• Win: 3 points
• Draw: 1 point
• Loss: 0 points

All teams in a group play the same number of matches (in AFCON finals group stage, three games per team; in AFCON qualifiers, usually six games per team in a four-team group). After these matches, teams are ranked by their total points.

A typical AFCON table at the group stage will have columns that look like this:

• Pld (GP): Games Played
• W: Wins
• D: Draws
• L: Losses
• GF (F): Goals For (scored)
• GA (A): Goals Against (conceded)
• GD: Goal Difference (GF minus GA)
• Pts (P): Points 

For example, consider a hypothetical Group B from an AFCON group stage: 

Group B Standings:

Interpreting this:

• Cape Verde played 3, won 2, drew 1, and topped the group with 7 points (GF 7, GA 3, GD +4).
• Egypt drew all 3 games (0 wins, 3 draws, 0 losses) for 3 points​.
• Ghana and Mozambique each had 2 points (0-2-1 records). Ghana’s goal difference (-1) was better than Mozambique’s (-3), hence Ghana is listed above Mozambique.

This table shows Cape Verde and Egypt as the top two, which in an AFCON finals context would mean they advance (with some caveats about third-placed teams; more on that later). Ghana and Mozambique’s low points indicate they likely didn’t advance.

In an AFCON qualifiers table, the format is similar but usually teams play 6 matches (home and away against each opponent). For instance, a qualifiers table might look like: 

AFCON Qualifiers – Group A: 

Interpreting this qualifiers table:

• Nigeria, with 13 points, clearly won the group (and qualified for AFCON).
• Sierra Leone came second with 9 points – likely also qualified if two teams qualify from the group.
• Guinea-Bissau (7 pts) and São Tomé (1 pt) didn’t make it.
• The structure shows Nigeria’s dominance (e.g., +9 goal difference, lots of goals scored). São Tomé’s poor record stands out with 0 wins.

The points and the W-D-L record give a quick snapshot of performance:

• More wins and high points = doing well.
• Few points or many losses = struggling.

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Tie-breakers: When Teams are Level on Points

Often, two or more teams end up with the same number of points. This is where tie-breaker rules come in to determine table rankings. It’s important to note that tie-break criteria can differ between tournaments (AFCON finals vs qualifiers, and have changed over time), so always check the specific regulations. Here are the typical tie-breakers:

In AFCON Finals group stage (as per recent tournaments including 2024):

1. Head-to-head results between the tied teams.
2. Goal difference in all group matches.
3. Goals scored in all group matches.
4. If still tied and it’s only between two teams, lots can be drawn (rarely needed).
5. If more than two teams tied and after applying head-to-head some remain tied, the head-to-head is reapplied to those, or criteria extend to Fair Play points, etc.

What does head-to-head mean? If two teams have the same points, look at the match(es) they played against each other:

• If one beats the other, that team gets ranked higher.
• If they drew, then head-to-head is inconclusive and you move to goal difference.

For example, in Group C of AFCON 2024, Cameroon and Guinea both finished on 4 points​. Their head-to-head meeting ended 1-1 (draw), so head-to-head couldn’t separate them. The next criteria, goal difference, saw both at -1. Next, goals scored: Cameroon had 5 goals, Guinea 2, so Cameroon ranked above Guinea. Thus Cameroon took 2nd, Guinea 3rd​. If Cameroon had beaten Guinea head-to-head, that alone would have put Cameroon above, regardless of GD.

However, tie-break rules aren’t always identical. In AFCON 2024 qualifiers, CAF used head-to-head as the first tie-breaker as well​. For instance, in a qualifying group, Benin and Rwanda tied on points for second; Benin advanced due to better head-to-head goal difference in their meetings​.

In older AFCONs, goal difference was sometimes the first tie-breaker. The switch to head-to-head came to align with other continental tournaments like UEFA Euro. Always verify the current tournament’s rule:

• As of the 2023/24 AFCON, head-to-head is indeed used first in group ranking (confirmed by CAF)​..
• According to CAF Online documents, this means teams' level on points will be sorted by their direct confrontations (points in those games, then goal difference in those games, etc.) before considering overall goal difference.

Practical tip: During a tournament, broadcasters often show live standings but fans should be aware of head-to-head. For example, in a scenario where Team A and Team B are tied on points on the final day:

• If Team A beats Team B earlier, then if they tie on points, Team A will finish higher (regardless of overall goal difference).
• This has implications on the last round – sometimes a team with a worse goal difference can still advance if they hold a head-to-head edge.

Multi-team ties: If three teams are tied on points (which happens occasionally), head-to-head can be a bit complex. Essentially, a mini-table is formed among those three:

• Consider their results just against each other (ignoring matches vs the fourth team).
• Apply points, head-to-head, etc., among them to break ties. If one or more teams remain tied, then move to overall goal difference, etc.

An example: AFCON 2013 Group D had Ivory Coast, Tunisia, and Algeria in a potential tie scenario before final games; tie-breaks were discussed, but results separated them. Another example: AFCON 2010 Group A ended with three teams on 4 points. They had to use goal difference because the head-to-head among them was circular (each beat one and lost to another). Angola, Algeria, and Mali had 4 points each; Algeria advanced on best GD among the tied teams after head-to-head didn’t break it (Mali was unlucky to go out despite a big final-match win).

Best third-placed teams: In AFCON finals since expansion to 24 teams, four of the six third-placed teams advance to Round of 16. These third-placed teams are ranked across groups by points, goal difference, goals scored, etc. It’s essentially another “table” combining all groups’ third places:

• Points is first criteria, then GD, then goals scored.
• If two third-placed teams have same points and GD and goals, fair play points or drawing of lots might be used. For fans, this means you often have to compare across groups. For example, in 2024, the four third-place qualifiers had 4 or 3 points, while the two eliminated thirds had 2 points. Goal difference decided which 3-point teams progressed. It can be a bit confusing, but generally a third-place team with 4 points is almost certain to go through, 3 points is iffy (depends on GD), 2 or fewer is likely out. 

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How to Read and Interpret AFCON Tables

When you look at a Nations cup table, keep these steps in mind:

1. Check Points first: Identify who has the most points – those teams are at the top. If the group stage is ongoing, points indicate who is in a qualifying spot (top 2 for sure, and possibly top 4 third-placers). For instance, if after 2 matches the standings show Team X with 6 points, Team Y with 4, Team Z with 1, Team W with 0 – Team X has already qualified for next round (can’t finish lower than second), Team Y is in a good position, Team Z and W are struggling.
2. Consider remaining fixtures: If the table is mid-group-stage, you might interpret who has easier or harder games left. For example, if Team Z (1 point) still gets to play Team W (0 points), that could be a chance for a win to reach 4 points, potentially challenging Team Y for second place. Meanwhile, Team Y might have to play Team X – a tougher task. So tables combined with the schedule can project possible final standings.
3. Goal Difference and Goals: These give insight into team performance beyond points:
• A high goal difference means a team has been dominant (scoring much more than conceding). It can also serve as a buffer in case of ties on points. For instance, in AFCON 2024 Group A, Equatorial Guinea’s +6 GD helped them top the group over Nigeria’s +2, as both had 7 points​.
• Goals scored (GF) can indicate an attacking prowess, while few goals against (GA) indicate strong defense. For example, if a table shows Morocco with GF 5 GA 1, and another team Mali with GF 3 GA 4, one can infer Morocco had a better balance, scoring more and conceding less.
4. Head-to-Head awareness: If two teams are close on points and yet to play each other, that head-to-head will likely decide who finishes higher. For example, in a qualifiers group, if after 4 games Team A has 9 pts, Team B 9 pts, and they haven’t met for the return leg, that upcoming match is crucial. If Team A won the first leg, they already hold an advantage (Team B will need to better that result in the return leg or else lose the tie-break). According to ESPN’s qualifiers recap, CAF tie-breaks influenced how teams approached final match days​. – a team might know a draw is enough if they won the first leg head-to-head.
5. Qualification and Advancement Criteria:
• AFCON Finals Group Stage: Top 2 in each group advance automatically to Round of 16. Then the four best 3rd-placed teams also advance. So while reading tables, identify if a third-place team is in contention. For instance, a third-place with 4 points is usually safe. A famous scenario: In AFCON 2019, South Africa progressed as a third-placer with 3 points (and GD 0), while in the same tournament Kenya with 3 points (GD -4) did not – goal difference was decisive for that final slot​.
• AFCON Qualifiers: Usually, the top two teams in each qualifying group qualify for AFCON (when there are 12 groups for a 24-team AFCON). However, if a host is in the group, sometimes only the top one plus host (if host is top 2) or top two excluding host qualify​. While reading a qualifiers table, note if any team is marked as “(Q)” already. In the example qualifiers Group A above, Nigeria and Sierra Leone would qualify (assuming no host in group). If tied on points for second, tie-breaks as discussed determine it.
6. Interpreting mid-tournament tables: Let’s say it’s after 2 group games (of 3) in an AFCON finals and a table looks like:

Here, Team A is already through (6 points guarantees top 2). Team D is eliminated from top 2 contention (0 points can’t catch 3 pts both teams B and C if one of them will get more points when they perhaps play each other or someone plays A). Team B and C likely will fight for second; their match or goal differences matter. If Team B and C haven’t played yet, that last match is a de facto playoff – winner goes through, a draw might favor one on tie-break. If they have played and one beat the other, the scenario might be more complex involving their last games vs others.

Case Study: AFCON 2024 Group E after 2 games:

Interpreting: Mali and South Africa (each 4) played to a draw (likely, since both had 4). Namibia had draws with SA and Tunisia likely (2 pts). Tunisia surprisingly 0. Final games: Mali vs Tunisia, SA vs Namibia. Mali and SA just needed draws to secure at least 5 points. For Namibia (2 pts) to overtake either, they had to beat SA. If Namibia won, they'd get to 5, and if Mali or SA lost their last match, some tie at 5 could occur. In reality, Mali drew Namibia, SA drew Tunisia in actual results for a similar scenario – multiple ties. But conceptually, you’d mark Mali and SA as favorites to advance. Understanding the table guides you on what each team needs in the final match.

Reading Qualifier Tables vs. Tournament Tables

There’s a slight difference in interpreting qualifier tables and final tournament tables:

• Qualifiers: Usually take place over several months. Goal difference can be huge (because of mismatches like top teams vs minnows). You interpret them mainly to see who’s in position to qualify. Often before the last round, you’ll see scenarios like “Team X has qualified,” “Team Y needs a draw to qualify,” etc. For instance, in an ESPN qualifiers summary it might say “Morocco (host) plus top two from 11 groups qualify​.” So you read the table to see who those top two are.

Qualifier tables can also be unbalanced if a team withdraws (their results voided, etc., but that’s rare). In some qualifiers, a notable situation was when Kenya was banned during 2023 qualifiers – their matches were null, effectively reducing one group to 3 teams. In the table, Kenya was simply omitted and the group had 3 teams, which could confuse casual readers.

• Tournament group tables: These are short and intense. Often all teams are alive till final matchday except in clear cases. Interpreting them in real-time is something TV commentators do: e.g. “As it stands, this is the table, but if Team C scores one more, they will jump to second because of head-to-head over Team B,” etc. Knowing tie-break rules is crucial in those moments. A famous example: AFCON 2019, Group F, final day – Benin was waiting on the Angola vs Mali result to see if they’d be a best third. The combined table scenario was complex, but they squeaked through after Angola failed to win. So sometimes you compare across groups for third-placed rankings.

Example of Interpreting a Real AFCON Group Table

Let’s take a real example from AFCON 2023 (2024) to illustrate interpreting a final table:

Group A final standings:

Interpretation:

• Equatorial Guinea and Nigeria both finished on 7. The table listed Equatorial Guinea first, indicating tie-break applied. Since both had drawn their encounter (they did, 1-1), next was goal difference: Eq. Guinea +6 vs Nigeria +2​, so Eq. Guinea top. Both advanced.
• Ivory Coast with 3 points got third. To interpret this: 3 points meant 1 win, 2 losses. Indeed, Ivory Coast beat Guinea-Bissau, lost to Nigeria and Eq. Guinea. They have GD -3, which isn’t great, but as a third-placer 3 points gave them a chance. We’d then compare Ivory Coast to other third-placers. It turned out Ivory Coast advanced as one of the best third (they did, and eventually won the tournament!). In table context, seeing a 3 next to a host country in third might raise eyebrows, but one should recall the best third rule.
• Guinea-Bissau 0 – clearly eliminated, lost all games.

So reading this table, one learns:

• Who progressed (Eq. Guinea, Nigeria, Ivory Coast) and who didn’t (Guinea-Bissau).
• That Eq. Guinea outperformed expectations to top the group (with a strong GD implying big wins, indeed they beat Ivory Coast 4-0​.
• Nigeria did enough but perhaps had less explosive offense (GF 3) given GD only +2, meaning they won by narrow margins (which matches they beat Ivory Coast 1-0, Guinea-Bissau 1-0).
• Ivory Coast underperformed as hosts in group, yet survived as a best third – a precarious position.

As another example, Group B final:

Interpretation:

• Cape Verde dominated (relative to group), no loss.
• Egypt’s 3 draws were enough for 2nd (they had more points than Ghana and Moz​.
• Ghana and Mozambique tied on 2 points; Ghana’s GD -1 vs Moz -3 gave Ghana 3rd, Mozambique 4th​.
• So likely Cape Verde and Egypt advanced, Ghana’s 2 points were probably not enough to be a best third (indeed Ghana went home, a huge disappointment). Mozambique out.

From just the table, one can deduce:

• Egypt surprisingly didn’t win any game but squeaked through (because table shows 0 in W column, 3 points).
• Ghana failed to win any as well and paid the price.
• Cape Verde’s +4 GD suggests they scored freely (7 GF).
• For Ghana, finishing third with 2 points signals a problem – indeed their inability to win a match.

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How Standings Reflect Team Strategy and Scenarios

The standings often influence strategy going into matches:

• If a team knows they just need a draw to advance (due to their point tally or GD edge), they might play more cautiously. E.g., if Team has 4 points and 2nd place has 3, a draw guarantees at least 2nd.
• Teams aware of tie-breaks might push for an extra goal. For instance, in qualifiers, if two teams are tied but one lost first leg 0-1, in the second leg that team knows a 2-0 win is needed to top on head-to-head (1-0 would still leave them behind on away goals if those count in qualifiers, or goal diff if away goals not used).
• In tournaments, coaches track other group results to know what a third-place needs. During the Africa cup of nations 2019, coaches of teams in third knew if a win was needed to be among the best four.

According to CAF regulations, coaches are provided in all these scenarios. Fans often see “live standings” to know how a goal in one match affects another team’s fate. 

Summing Up Standings Interpretation

To summarize, here’s a checklist for interpreting an AFCON table:

• Identify leaders and trailers: Who’s in the qualifying position? Who is out?
• Note games left: If not final, what are upcoming matches that can change positions?
• Apply tie-break knowledge: Points equal? Check head-to-head results or upcoming head-to-head.
• Calculate who needs what: e.g., “Team A will qualify if they at least draw their last game,” or “Team B must win by 2 goals against Team C to overcome goal difference.”
• Understand format context: Top two qualify (finals), best thirds qualify (finals), etc., or top two qualify (qualifiers). Mark which positions matter.
• Use the data: A large GD might mean a team can afford a narrow loss and still advance on GD if points tie. A team with few goals scored might worry if they need to win a tie-break on goals.

Finally, be aware that football tables are dynamic until all matches are played. The “table” is ultimately final once the group stage is over. Until then, treat it as a live indicator. In an AFCON finals, the last group matches are played simultaneously for fairness (except one group’s matches might be earlier in the day than another’s), so fans often watch two games and the table permutations together.

Going forward, the next edition of the tournament is pivotal, and reading the African Nations Cup table 2026 is about understanding the numbers (points, GD, etc.) and the rules beneath them. When you grasp that, the table becomes a powerful tool to predict outcomes and appreciate the stakes each team faces. Whether it’s a powerhouse needing a final push or an underdog clinging to a slim chance on goal difference, the table tells the story – you just have to know how to read it. 

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