The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2024) has been a delight for football fans across the World.
24 teams made the trip to Ivory Coast on a quest to win Africa's biggest football tournament, and there are eight left standing. Who are these teams?
In this article, we'll provide all the information you need to know about the eight quarter-finalists at the Nations Cup, how they got there, and who they'll face in the last eight.
Which teams have qualified for the AFCON 2024 quarter-finals?
Nigeria
Nigeria had a slow start to their AFCON 2024 campaign, as they had to settle for a draw against Equatorial Guinea in their opening game.
However, the Super Eagles have found their stride since then, winning three matches in a row.
To be fair, Nigeria have not really been a high-scoring side, as they registered five goals in four matches.
However, Jose Peseiro's men have arguably the best defence at this tournament. Of all the 24 teams that participated at this year's edition of the Nations Cup, only Nigeria have conceded less than two goals.
Angola
Angola will be Nigeria's opponents in the quarter-final.
Like Nigeria, The Palancas Negras kicked off their AFCON campaign with a draw, then proceeded to win three matches in a row.
Angola have been a free-scoring side, registering nine goals in four matches at this competition.
Conversely, Pedro Goncalves' troops saw their defence breached three times in four games.
DR Congo
DR Congo‘s path to the last eight has been quite interesting. While they've struggled to win matches, the Leopards have also been a tough team to beat.
As a matter of fact, DR Congo have played four matches at this tournament, and all four games were tied at the end of regulation time.
Sebastien Desabre's men needed a penalty shootout in order to beat seven-time AFCON champions Egypt in the Round of 16.
DR Congo will take on Guinea in the next round.
Guinea
Three teams made it through to the knockout stages from Group C, and Guinea are the only ones left standing.
They booked a place in the quarter-final thanks to Mohamed Bayo's stoppage-time winner against Equatorial Guinea.
That said, the Syli National barely made it through, even though they had a one-man advantage for over 40 minutes
Kaba Diawara's side will need to be at their best if they intend to beat DR Congo.
Mali
Mali came into this tournament with a ton of confidence. They had won six of their previous seven games, and were unbeaten in that seven-game stretch.
The Eagles claimed the top spot in Group E ahead of former AFCON champions South Africa and Tunisia. They proceeded to beat Burkina Faso in the Round of 16.
As it stands, Mali are on an 11-match unbeaten run. They'll square off against Ivory Coast in the quarter-final.
Ivory Coast
Ivory Coast were one of the pre-tournament favourites to win AFCON 2024.
However, despite playing on home soil, the Elephants were on the brink of elimination, and required some help in order to reach the last 16.
The hosts took on defending champions Senegal in the Round of 16; and although they were the underdogs, Emerse Faé's troops reigned supreme after a penalty shootout.
Ivory Coast's 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea is arguably the biggest upset in AFCON 2024. They'll probably need a top-three finish in order to redeem themselves.
Cape Verde
Heading into this competition, Cape Verde had lost four of their previous six games.
They were paired in the same group with Ghana and Egypt, two of the most successful teams in the history of the Nations Cup.
While most people didn't expect Cape Verde to finish in any of the top two spots, they became the first team to secure a place in the knockout stages after winning their first two matches.
In fact, the Blue Sharks had already clinched the top spot in their group after the first two rounds. They proceeded to defeat Mauritania by a lone goal in the round of 16.
Bubista's men will contend with South Africa for a place in the semi-final of this competition.
South Africa
South Africa‘s AFCON 2024 opener didn't go as well as they had hoped, as they suffered a 2-0 loss to eventual Group E leaders Mali.
However, Bafana Bafana have picked up some speed since then, scoring six times without conceding.
Hugo Broos' men were the underdogs in their Round of 16 clash with Morocco, but they still won by two unreplied goals.
South Africa will hope they can rely on their solid defence in the quarter-finals.
When will the AFCON 2024 quarter-finals begin?
The AFCON 2024 quarter-finals will take place between February 2 & 3.
Whoever wins the Nigeria vs Angola clash will face either Cape Verde or South Africa in the semi-final, while the victor of DR Congo vs Guinea will meet the winner of Mali's encounter with Ivory Coast.
