2022 African Nations Championship

[2][3] Eighteen teams were supposed to be contesting in this edition, which would have been an increase of 2 teams from the previous edition in 2020;[4][5][6] but defending champions Morocco were unable to defend their title due to political tensions with Algerian authorities which began with Algeria's unilaterally decision in 2021 to close its airspace to Moroccan flights, including and especially its official carrier Royal Air Maroc.

[7] Algeria were officially named as hosts of the 2022 edition on 29 September 2018 at an executive committee meeting held at Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt.

[13] However, the team announced their withdrawal from the tournament on 12 January 2023, after hosts Algeria refused to allow the squad to take a direct flight from Rabat to Constantine via their flag carrier sponsor, Royal Air Maroc.

[17] This edition of the tournament was confirmed by the Algerian Football Federation 1 August 2020 to be held in four venues at four cities across host nation Algeria: Algiers, Oran, Constantine and Annaba.

[18] Team base camps The draw for this edition was held at Boualem Bessaiah Opera House in the host nation's capital, Algiers, on 1 October 2022 at 18:00 WET (UTC±0).