The 2023 African Games will be held in three Ghanaian cities--Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast--from March 8 to 23, 2024.

The 13th edition of the African Games will take place in Accra, Ghana. The event, which spans 15 days, will feature over 5,000 athletes from all countries across the continent.

The African Union, in collaboration with the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa and the Association of African Sports Confederations, jointly organises the longstanding continental sports festival.

The 13th edition in Ghana will serve as the Paris 2024 Olympic Games qualifier.

History

The African Games, previously known as the All-African Games, is a continental multi-sport event designed for Africans, organised by Africans, and held every four years, occurring a year before the Olympic Games.

The concept of the sports festival originated from the defunct Community Games and Friendship Games, which were held in Senegal in 1963. These events prompted the General Assembly of African Ministers of Youth and Sports to convene in Dakar that same year.

In July 1965, the first games were held in Brazzaville, Congo, with approximately 2,500 athletes from 30 countries competing, with Egypt leading the medal count for the first games.

Date

The 2023 African Games will be held in three Ghanaian cities--Accra, Kumasi, and Cape Coast--from March 8 to 23, 2024.

Stadium

The Accra Sports Stadium, Borteyman Sports Complex, the Theodosia Okoh Hockey Stadium, the Achimota Cricket Oval, and the University of Ghana Stadium will host the games.

Sports

A total of 29 sports, divided into three categories, will be featured at the games: Olympic qualifying sports (8), non-Olympic qualifying sports (15), and demonstration sports (6).

Participating countries

Egypt and Nigeria are the only countries to have participated in all editions of the games.

Egypt is the most successful country in the history of the African Games, having won a total of 1620 medals (639 gold, 500 silver, and 481 bronze). Nigeria follows in second place with 1326 medals (470 gold, 428 silver, and 428 bronze), while South Africa is in third place with a total of 1054 medals. Algeria is fourth with 1028 medals.

Only four countries have emerged as overall winners: Egypt (7), South Africa (3), Nigeria (1), and Tunisia (1).