1972 African Cup of Nations

The 1972 African Cup of Nations was the eighth edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the association football championship of Africa (CAF). It was hosted by Cameroon, in the cities of Yaoundé and Douala. Just like in 1970, the field of eight teams was split into two groups of four. The People's Republic of the Congo won its first championship, beating Mali in the final 3−2.

Qualified teams

For the first time, Ethiopia did not compete. The 8 qualified teams are:

Team	Qualified as	Qualified on	Previous appearances in tournamentTemplate:Efn
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Cameroon	flag alias = Flag of Cameroon.svg	flag alias-1957 = Flag of Cameroon (1957-1961).svg	flag alias-1961 = Flag of Cameroon (1961-1975).svg	link alias-military = Cameroon Armed Forces	Cameroon Army	link alias-air force = Cameroon Air Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = 1961 }} || Hosts || || (1970)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Sudan	flag alias = Flag of Sudan.svg	flag alias-1956 = Flag of Sudan (1956-1970).svg	flag alias-air force = Ensign of the Sudanese Air Force.svg	link alias-air force = Sudanese Air Force	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Sudan.svg	link alias-naval = Sudanese Navy	flag alias-army = Flag of the Sudanese Army (1956–present).png	link alias-army = Sudanese Army	flag alias-navy = Naval Ensign of Sudan.svg	link alias-navy = Sudanese Navy	flag alias-military = Insignia of the Sudanese Armed Forces.svg	link alias-military = Sudanese Armed Forces	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || Holders || Template:Dts || (1957, 1959, 1963, 1970)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Morocco	flag alias = Flag of Morocco.svg	flag alias-1666 = Flag of Morocco (1666–1915).svg	flag alias-1913 = Flag of Spanish Morocco.svg	flag alias-civil = Civil Ensign of Morocco.svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Morocco.svg	link alias-naval = Royal Moroccan Navy	flag alias-air force = Flag of the Royal Moroccan Air Force.png	link alias-air force = Royal Moroccan Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Royal Moroccan Army.svg	link alias-army = Royal Moroccan Army	flag alias-navy = Flag of the Royal Moroccan Navy.svg	link alias-navy = Royal Moroccan Navy	flag alias-military = Flag of the Royal Moroccan Armed Forces.svg	link alias-military = Royal Moroccan Armed Forces	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2nd round winners || Template:Dts || (debut)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Togo	flag alias = Flag of Togo (3-2).svg	flag alias-1957 = Flag of Togo (1957-1958).svg	flag alias-1958 = Flag of Togo (1958-1960).svg	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2nd round winners || Template:Dts || (debut)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Mali	flag alias = Flag of Mali.svg	flag alias-1959 = Flag of Mali (1959-1961).svg	link alias-army = Malian Army	link alias-air force = Malian Air Force	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2nd round winners || Template:Dts || (debut)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Republic of the Congo	shortname alias = Congo	flag alias = Flag of the Republic of the Congo.svg	flag alias-1970 = Flag of the People's Republic of the Congo.svg	link alias-military = Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo	flag alias-military =Flag of the Armed Forces of the Republic of the Congo.svg	link alias-air force = Congolese Air Force	Congolese Army	link alias-basketball = Republic of the Congo {{{mw}}} national basketball team	link alias-volleyball = Republic of the Congo {{{mw}}} national volleyball team	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football	variant = 1970 }} || 2nd round winners || Template:Dts || (1968)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Kenya	flag alias = Flag of Kenya.svg	flag alias-colonial = Flag of Kenya (1921–1963).svg	flag alias-kdf = Flag of the Kenya Defence Forces.svg	flag alias-1895 = Flag of Kenya (1895–1921).svg	flag alias-naval = Naval Ensign of Kenya.svg	link alias-naval = Kenya Navy	flag alias-military=Flag of the Kenya Defence Forces.svg	link alias-military=Kenya Defence Forces	flag alias-navy=Presidential Colour of the Kenyan Navy.svg	link alias-navy=Kenya Navy	flag alias-air force = Air Force Ensign of Kenya.svg	link alias-air force= Kenya Air Force	flag alias-army = Flag of the Kenyan Army.svg	link alias-army = Kenya Army	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	variant = }} || 2nd round winners || Template:Dts || (debut)
{{ Template:Yesno	alias = Zaire	flag alias = Flag of Zaire (1971–1997).svg	link alias-football = DR Congo national football team	Zairian Army	Zairian Navy	Zairian Air Force	Zairian Navy	size =	name =	altlink = national football team	altvar = football }} || 2nd round winners || Template:Dts || (1965, 1968, 1970)

Notes

Venues

The competition was played in two venues in Yaoundé and Douala.

Yaoundé
Stade Omnisports
Capacity: 38,720
File:Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo 2014 (1).JPG
Douala
Stade de la Réunification
Capacity: 30,000
File:Stade de Bepanda.jpg

Group stage

Tiebreakers

If two or more teams finished level on points after completion of the group matches, the following tie-breakers were used to determine the final ranking:

1. Goal difference in all group matches
2. Greater number of goals scored in all group matches
3. Drawing of lots

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Team of the tournament

Source:

Goalkeeper	Defenders	Midfielders	Forwards
Template:Flagicon Allal Ben Kassou	Template:Flagicon Mohamed El-Sir Abdalla Template:Flagicon Bwanga Tshimen Template:Flagicon Paul N'lend Template:Flagicon Boujemaa Benkhrif	Template:Flagicon Mayanga Maku Template:Flagicon Noël Minga-Tchibinda Template:Flagicon Paul-Gaston N'Dongo Template:Flagicon Jean-Pierre Tokoto	Template:Flagicon Kakoko Etepé Template:Flagicon François M'Pelé

External links

• Details at RSSSF
• Details at www.angelfire.com
• footballmundial.tripod.com
• www.world-results.net