1998 African Cup of Nations explained

Tourney Name:	African Cup of Nations
Year:	1998
Other Titles:	Coupe d'Afrique des Nations 1998
Size:	150px
Country:	Burkina Faso
Dates:	7–28 February
Num Teams:	16
Venues:	3
Cities:	2
Champion:	Egypt
Count:	4
Second:	South Africa
Third:	DR Congo
Third-Flagvar:	1997
Fourth:	Burkina Faso
Matches:	32
Goals:	93
Attendance:	388800
Top Scorer:	Hossam Hassan Benni McCarthy (7 goals each)
Player:	Benni McCarthy
Prevseason:	1996
Nextseason:	2000

The 1998 African Cup of Nations in Burkina Faso was the 21st edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (ACN), the national football championship of Africa, administered by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Just like in 1996, the field of sixteen teams was split into four groups of four. Egypt won its fourth ACN championship, beating South Africa in the final 2–0.^[1]

Qualification

See main article: 1998 African Cup of Nations qualification. Nigeria was banned from entering the 1998 African Cup of Nations qualifying because of withdrawing from the 1996 Cup after having already qualified for the finals, while the other teams were banned for withdrawing during qualification for the 1996 Cup.

Participating teams

Team	Qualified as	Qualified on	Previous appearances in tournament
	Hosts		(1978, 1996)
	Holders		(*1996*)
	Group 1 winners		(*1963, 1965, 1968, 1970, 1978, 1980, 1982*, 1984, 1992, 1994, 1996)
	Group 4 runners-up		(1970, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1994)
	Group 4 winners		(1962, 1963, 1965, 1978, 1982, 1994, 1996)
	Group 2 runners-up		(1968, 1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, *1990*, 1992, 1996)
	Group 6 runners-up		(1996)
	Group 5 winners		(1970, 1972, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1996)
	Group 6 runners-up		(1965, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1976, 1988, 1992, 1994, 1996)
	Group 3 runners-up		(1957, *1959, 1962, 1963, 1970, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1986*, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996)
	Group 2 winners		(1965, 1968, 1970, 1974, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996)
	Group 3 winners		(1972, 1976, 1978, 1980, 1986, 1988, 1992)
	Group 7 runners-up		(1986, 1996)
	Group 5 runners-up		(debut)
	Group 6 winners		(1972, 1984)
	Group 7 winners		(1974, 1978, 1982, 1986, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996)