Tournament details | |
---|---|
Host country | Ghana |
Dates | 5–16 March |
Teams | 8 |
Venue(s) | 2 (in 2 host cities) |
Final positions | |
Champions | ![]() |
Runners-up | ![]() |
Third place | ![]() |
Fourth place | ![]() |
Tournament statistics | |
Matches played | 16 |
Goals scored | 38 (2.38 per match) |
Top scorer(s) | ![]() ![]() ![]() (3 goals each) |
Best player(s) | ![]() |
← 1976 1980 → |
The 1978 African Cup of Nations was the eleventh edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the football championship of Africa (CAF). It was hosted by Accra and Kumasi, Ghana. The format of the competition changed from 1976: the field of eight teams was still split into two groups of four, but the final group stage was eliminated in favor of the knockout semifinals used in tournaments prior to 1976 (except 1959). Ghana won its third championship, beating Uganda in the final 2−0.
Ivory Coast and Mali were both disqualified in the second round of qualification: Ivory Coast for using an ineligible player, and Mali after stadium security and police assaulted match officials during the first leg. Since Mali had received a first round walkover after Niger failed to appear, Upper Volta, who had been beaten by the Ivory Coast in the first round, were given their place in the final tournament.
The 8 qualified teams are:
Team | Qualified as | Qualified on | Previous appearances in tournament[a] |
---|---|---|---|
![]() |
Hosts | 4 (1963, 1965, 1968, 1970) | |
![]() |
Holders | 14 March 1976 | 2 (1972, 1976) |
![]() |
2nd round winners | 26 June 1977 | 2 (1963, 1976) |
![]() |
2nd round winners | 26 June 1977 | 4 (1962, 1968, 1974, 1976) |
![]() |
2nd round winners | 26 June 1977 | 1 (1974) |
![]() |
2nd round winners | 17 July 1977 | 0 (debut) |
![]() |
2nd round winners | 31 July 1977 | 3 (1968 1972, 1974) |
![]() |
2nd round winners | 16 October 1977 | 3 (1962, 1963, 1965) |
The competition was played in two venues in Accra and Kumasi.
Accra |
![]() |
Kumasi |
---|---|---|
Accra Sports Stadium | Kumasi Sports Stadium | |
Capacity: 40,000 | Capacity: 40,500 | |
![]() |
![]() |
Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 2 | +4 | 5 |
![]() |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 3 | +2 | 4 |
![]() |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 3 |
![]() |
3 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 9 | −7 | 0 |
Ghana ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Afriyie ![]() Abdul Razak ![]() |
Report | Kapita ![]() |
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Suleiman El Naim (Sudan)
Nigeria ![]() | 4–2 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Chukwu ![]() Amiesimaka ![]() Odegbami ![]() |
Report | Hien ![]() Koïta ![]() |
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: ... Sylla
Zambia ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
P. Phiri ![]() B. Phiri ![]() |
Report |
Attendance: 60,000
Referee: C. Monty
Nigeria ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Odegbami ![]() |
Report | Klutse ![]() |
Attendance: 60,000
Zambia ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Report |
Attendance: 25,000
Ghana ![]() | 3–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Alhassan ![]() Polo ![]() |
Report |
Attendance: 25,000
Referee: Pierre Mutombo (Zaïre)
Team | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
![]() |
3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 4 | +3 | 4 |
![]() |
3 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 4 | 2 | +2 | 4 |
![]() |
3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | −2 | 3 |
![]() |
3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | −3 | 1 |
Morocco ![]() | 1–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Acila ![]() |
Report | Kaabi ![]() |
Referee: Gebreyesus Tesfaye (Ethiopia)
Uganda ![]() | 3–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Omondi ![]() Semwanga ![]() Kisitu ![]() |
Report | Mamounoubala ![]() |
Referee: Hussein Fahmy (Egypt)
Tunisia ![]() | 3–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Labidi ![]() Ben Aziza ![]() |
Report | Musenze ![]() |
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Abdelkader Aouissi (Algeria)
Morocco ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Acila ![]() |
Report |
Attendance: 50,000
Referee: Youssou N'Diaye (Senegal)
Congo ![]() | 0–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Report |
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Salem Mohamed Adal (Libya)
Uganda ![]() | 3–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Kisitu ![]() Nsereko ![]() Omondi ![]() |
Report |
Attendance: 20,000
Referee: Théophile Lawson-Hétchéli (Togo)
| Semi-finals | Final | ||||
| ||||||
| 14 March – Accra | |||||
| ||||||
| ![]() | 1 | ||||
| 16 March – Accra | |||||
| ![]() | 0 | ||||
| ![]() | 2 | ||||
| 14 March – Kumasi | |||||
| ![]() | 0 | ||||
| ![]() | 2 | ||||
| ||||||
| ![]() | 1 | ||||
| Third place | |||||
| ||||||
| 16 March – Accra | |||||
| ||||||
| ![]() | 1 | ||||
| ||||||
| ![]() | 11 |
Ghana ![]() | 1–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Abdul Razak ![]() |
Report |
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Youssef El Ghoul (Libya)
Uganda ![]() | 2–1 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Nasur ![]() Omondi ![]() |
Report | Eyo ![]() |
Attendance: 10,000
Referee: Abdelkader Aouissi (Algeria)
Nigeria ![]() | 2–0 (Awarded) | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Mohammed ![]() |
Report | Akid ![]() |
Referee: Théophile Lawson-Hétchéli (Togo)
1 The match was abandoned after Tunisia walked off in the 42nd minute with the score tied at 1–1 to protest the officiating. Nigeria were awarded a 2–0 win, and Tunisia were suspended for two years (also banning them from the next tournament).[2]
Ghana ![]() | 2–0 | ![]() |
---|---|---|
Afriyie ![]() |
Report |
Attendance: 40,000
Referee: Youssef El Ghoul (Libya)
Goalkeeper
Defenders
Midfielders
Forwards
| |
---|---|
Editions |
|
Qualification |
|
Finals |
|
Bids |
|
Squads |
|
Statistics |
|
Miscellaneous |
|
Notes: The 2021 and 2023 tournaments were actually held in 2022 and 2024 respectively. • There were no 1957 and 1959 qualifications as places were given by invitation only. • The "finals" articles for 1959 and 1976 are about the decisive matches of final group stages. |