The 2023 COSAFA Cup was the 22nd edition of the annual association football competition organized by COSAFA. It was held in South Africa for the sixth straight year, this time in Durban, from 5 to 16 July 2023.[1] Zambia were the defending champions.[2]

2023 COSAFA Cup
Tournament details
Host countrySouth Africa
CityDurban
Dates5–16 July 2023
Teams12 (from 1 confederation)
Venue(s)3 (in 3 host cities)
Final positions
Champions Zambia (7th title)
Runners-up Lesotho
Third place South Africa
Fourth place Malawi
Tournament statistics
Matches played22
Goals scored48 (2.18 per match)
Top scorer(s)South Africa Tshegofatso Mabasa
Zambia Albert Kangwanda
(3 goals each)
2022
2024

Participating nations

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National team FIFA Ranking (31 March 2023)[3] Best Performance
  Eswatini 144 Semi-finals (1999, 2002, 2003, 2021)
  Mauritius 180 Quarter-finals (2001, 2004)
  Comoros 131 Group stage
  Lesotho 150 Runners-up (2000)
  Botswana 152 Runners-up (2016, 2019)
  Malawi 127 Runners-up (2002, 2003)
  Zambia 86 Champions (1997, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2019, 2022)
  Mozambique 119 Runners-up (2008, 2015)
  Namibia 106 Champions (2015)
  South Africa 66 Champions (2002, 2007, 2008, 2016, 2021)
  Angola 118 Champions (1999, 2001, 2004)
  Seychelles 197 Group stage

Format

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For the first time, all participants will enter the Group Stage for three groups of four nations. The winners of each group and best runner-up will advance to the knockout stages. The new format guarantees between three and five matches for each team. No plate competitions will be held in this edition of the tournament.[4]

Venues

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Umlazi KwaMashu Durban
King Zwelithini Stadium Princess Magogo Stadium Chatsworth Stadium Moses Mabhida Stadium
Capacity: 10,000 Capacity: 12,000 Capacity: 22,000 Capacity: 85,000

Draw

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The draw for the group stage of the 2023 COSAFA Cup was held on 26 May 2023 in Johannesburg.[1]

Group stage

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Group stage matches will be played between 5–12 July 2023.[4]

Group A

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   South Africa 3 2 1 0 5 3 +2 7 Advance to knockout stage
2   Botswana 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
3   Eswatini 3 1 0 2 3 4 −1 3
4   Namibia 3 0 2 1 2 3 −1 2
Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Eswatini  0–1  Botswana
Report
  • Ditsele   23'
South Africa  1–1  Namibia
Report

South Africa  2–1  Botswana
Report
Namibia  1–2  Eswatini
Report

Namibia  0–0  Botswana
Report
South Africa  2–1  Eswatini
Report

Group B

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Malawi 3 3 0 0 5 0 +5 9 Advance to knockout stage
2   Zambia 3 2 0 1 6 4 +2 6 Advance to knockout stage based on ranking
3   Comoros 3 1 0 2 4 4 0 3
4   Seychelles 3 0 0 3 2 9 −7 0
Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Seychelles  0–3  Comoros
Report
Zambia  0–1  Malawi
Report

Zambia  2–1  Comoros
Report
Malawi  2–0  Seychelles
Report

Malawi  2–0  Comoros
Report
Seychelles  2–4  Zambia
Report

Group C

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Pos Team Pld W D L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1   Lesotho 3 2 0 1 5 4 +1 6 Advance to knockout stage
2   Angola 3 1 1 1 5 4 +1 4
3   Mozambique 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
4   Mauritius 3 1 0 2 1 3 −2 3
Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers
Mauritius  0–2  Lesotho
Report
Mozambique  1–1  Angola
Report

Angola  0–1  Mauritius
Report
Mozambique  0–1  Lesotho
Report

Angola  4–2  Lesotho
Report
Mauritius  0–1  Mozambique
Report

Best Runner-up Table

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Pos Grp Team Pld W T L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 B   Zambia 3 2 0 1 6 4 +2 6 Advance to knockout stage
2 C   Angola 3 1 1 1 5 4 +1 4
3 A   Botswana 3 1 1 1 2 2 0 4
Source: COSAFA
Rules for classification: Group stage tiebreakers


Knockout stage

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Semi-final matches where played on the 14 July 2023. The final and third-place matches where played two days later at the King Zwelithini Stadium.[4]

Bracket

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Semi-FinalsFinal
 
      
 
14 Jul – Durban
 
 
  Malawi1(0)
 
16 Jul – Durban
 
  Lesotho (p)1(3)
 
  Lesotho0
 
14 Jul – Durban
 
  Zambia1
 
  South Africa1
 
 
  Zambia2
 
Third-Place
 
 
16 Jul - Durban
 
 
  Malawi0(3)
 
 
  South Africa(p)0(5)

Semi-finals

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Malawi  1–1  Lesotho
Kaonga   26' (pen.) Report Thaba-Ntso   18'
Penalties
0–3
South Africa  1–2  Zambia
Mabasa   44' Report

Third-place

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Malawi  0–0  South Africa
Report
Penalties
3–5

Final

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Lesotho  0–1  Zambia
Report

Statistics

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Goalscorers

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There were 48 goals scored in 22 matches, for an average of 2.18 goals per match.

3 goals

2 goals

1 goal

1 own goal

References

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  1. ^ a b "Tough groups in draw for 2023 Cosafa Cup". The Namibian. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  2. ^ "Defending Champions Zambia Know Their 2023 COSAFA Cup Opponents". Lusaka Times. 26 May 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  3. ^ "The FIFA/Coca-Cola World Ranking - Ranking Table". FIFA.com. Archived from the original on 12 April 2016. Retrieved 23 May 2022.
  4. ^ a b c "Seychelles to face defending champions Zambia". nation.sc. Retrieved 2 June 2023.