Zaire won the 1974 Africa Cup of Nations, becoming the first nation to claim the title twice, then qualified for that year's FIFA World Cup.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 9th Africa Cup of Nations
- Host country
- Egypt
- Number of teams
- 8
- Final result (first match)
- Zaire 2–2 Zambia (draw)
- Replay result
- Zaire 2–0 Zambia
- Zaire's title count
- 2 (previously as Congo-Kinshasa)
By the Numbers
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
CAF organized the ninth edition of the Africa Cup of Nations in Egypt, following the same format used in 1972: eight national teams divided into two groups of four. Both finalists, Zaire and Zambia, had also distinguished themselves as the top two African sides in qualifying for the 1974 FIFA World Cup.
The tournament was held in Egypt in January 1974. Zaire and Zambia met in the final, which ended 2–2, necessitating a replay. Zaire won the replay 2–0 to claim the championship, securing their second continental title after their earlier triumph when the country competed as Congo-Kinshasa.
Zaire's victory cemented their status as Africa's leading football nation at the time. They went on to represent Africa at the 1974 FIFA World Cup in West Germany, becoming one of the continent's early representatives on the global stage.