On January 24th, 2024, Tunisia’s national football team, the Carthage Eagles, was eliminated from the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Cote d’Ivoire 2023 after finishing last in Group E. Despite entering the tournament as the third-ranked African side, they failed to secure a spot in the Round of 16, finishing behind Mali and South Africa. This marked a disappointing outcome for the 2004 champions.

Mali topped Group E with five points while South Africa finished as runners-up, securing a place in the quarter-finals. Tunisia’s early exit was the result of a shock loss to Namibia in their opening game, followed by draws with Mali and South Africa. The team’s passive performance throughout the tournament led to their downfall.

Tunisia’s elimination added to a string of early exits, with Ghana and Algeria also failing to advance past the group stage. South Africa’s second-place finish in Group E allowed them to move on to the next stage, along with Namibia, who qualified for the first time as one of the four best third-placed teams.

A total of 10 teams, including Equatorial Guinea, Cape Verde, Senegal, Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon, Angola, Burkina Faso, Mali, and South Africa, have secured a place in the knockout stage. The round of 16 matches are scheduled for January 27, with the final matches set for January 30. The quarterfinals will take place on February 2 and 3, followed by the semifinals on February 7. The tournament’s final match is slated for February 11 at the Stade Alassane Ouattara arena in Abidjan.