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YAOUNDE. — Africa’s premier international cup competition, the Africa Cup of Nations, is set to begin as the continent’s best teams and players go head-to-head to see who will come out on top.
This year signals the 33rd edition of the tournament which began in 1957 and nominally takes place every two years with rare exceptions. The first tournament, held in Sudan, featured just three teams with Egypt beating Ethiopia in the final having earlier overcome the hosts.
Over the years, the tournament has continued to grow and expand with this year’s event featuring 24 teams in total.
Algeria are the reigning champions having beaten Senegal 1-0 in the 2019 final in Egypt.
When is the AfricaCup of Nations?
The tournament begins on Sunday January 9 with the final taking place on Sunday February 6.
Where is it being held?
This year’s edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will take place in Cameroon. However, this wasn’t always the case as the west African nation were originally due to host the 2019 tournament before being replaced by Egypt due to delays in preparation and therefore handed the 2021 event instead.
Ivory Coast, who were originally slated for 2021 will now take on hosting duties for 2023.
This year’s final will be held at the 60 000 seater Olembe Stadium in Yaounde
Why now?
We’ve been through this! Like most other tournaments and events scheduled for 2020 and 2021, the global coronavirus pandemic forced everything to be delayed by a year.
Yes, but why now, in the middle of the traditional European Season?
The Africa Cup of Nations has frequently been held around this time of year for reasons including climate conditions and the timing of the African club football seasons.
CAF, African football’s governing body, has actually agreed to try and move the tournament to the European summer — as seen in Egypt in 2019 — but it wasn’t possible this year.
The next competition is currently scheduled for June-July of 2023.
Format
There are six groups of four teams who play each other once. The top two from each group automatically progress to the last 16 knockout stage.
They will be joined by the four best third-placed teams with the bottom six teams in each group and the two third place teams with the worst records being eliminated.
Are spectators allowed to watch the Afcon games?
Stadiums at this month’s Africa Cup of Nations in Cameroon will have their capacity capped at 80 per cent for the host’s matches due to the coronavirus pandemic, the Confederation of African Football said on Tuesday.
Other fixtures in the competition starting on January 9 and finishing on February 6 will only be played in front of 60 per cent of the ground’s capacity.
Sunday’s opening match between Cameroon and Burkina Faso will be played at the 60 000-seater Olembe stadium in Yaounde.
“After many consultations with the Cameroonian government, in light of the evolution of the health crisis and the challenges imposed by the Covid-19 pandemic, Afcon and the local organising committee have agreed an upper limit of between 60 per cent-80 per cent for the capacity of stadiums in the Africa Cup of Nations,” CAF said.
Strict coronavirus regulations have already been put in place for the tournament, postponed from last year due to the virus.
Spectators must be vaccinated and present a negative test before being granted entry into matches.
Many sides have been impacted by infections, including Nigeria who will be without Napoli striker Victor Osimhen and Gambia who have had to pull out of two pre-Afcon (African Cup of Nations) friendlies.
Fixtures (all Zimbabwean time)
Sunday January 9
Group A: Cameron vs Burkina Faso (6pm, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Group A: Ethiopia vs Cape Verde (9pm, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Monday January 10
Group B: Senegal vs Zimbabwe (3pm, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Group B: Guinea vs Malawi (6pm, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Group C: Morocco vs Ghana (6pm, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Group C: Comoros vs Gabon (9pm, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Tuesday January 11
Group E: Algeria vs Sierra Leone (3pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Group D: Nigeria vs Egypt (6pm, Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Group D: Sudan vs Guinea-Bissau (9pm, Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Wednesday January 12
Group F: Tunisia vs Mali (3pm, Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Group F: Mauritania vs Gambia (6pm, Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Ivory Coast (9pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Thursday January 13
Group A: Cameroon vs Ethiopia (6pm, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Group A: Cape Verde vs Burkina Faso (9pm, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Friday January 14
Group B: Senegal vs Guinea (3pm, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Group B: Malawi vs Zimbabwe (6pm, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Group C: Morocco vs Comoros (6pm, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Group C: Gabon vs Ghana (9pm, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Saturday January 15
Group D: Nigeria vs Sudan (6pm, Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Group D: Guinea-Bissau vs Egypt (9pm, Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Sunday January 16
Group F: Gambia vs Mali (3pm, Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Group E: Ivory Coast vs Sierra Leone (6pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Group F: Tunisia vs Mauritania (6pm, Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Group E: Algeria vs Equatorial Guinea (9pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Monday January 17
Group A: Burkina Faso vs Ethiopia (6pm, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Group A: Cape Verde vs Cameroon (6pm, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Tuesday January 18
Group B: Malawi vs Senegal (6pm, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Group B: Zimbabwe vs Guinea (6pm, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Group C: Gabon vs Morocco (9pm, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Group C: Ghana vs Comoros (9pm, Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Wednesday January 19
Group D: Egypt vs Sudan (9pm, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Group D: Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria (9pm, Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Thursday January 20
Group E: Ivory Coast vs Algeria (6pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Group E: Sierra Leone vs Equatorial Guinea (6pm, Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Group F: Gambia vs Tunisia (9pm, Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Group F: Mali vs Mauritania (9pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Round-of-16 fixtures and results
Sunday January 23
Group A runner-up vs Group C runner-up (6pm, Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Group D winner vs Group B/E/F third-place (9pm, Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Monday January 24
Group B runner-up vs Group F runner-up (6pm, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Group A winner vs Group C/D/E third-place (9pm Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Tuesday January 25
Group B winner vs Group A/C/D third-place (6pm, Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam)
Group C winner vs Group A/B/F third-place (9pm, Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Wednesday January 26
Group E winner vs Group D runner-up (6pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Group F winner vs Group E runner-up (9pm, Limbe Stadium, Limbe)
Quarter-final fixtures
Saturday January 29
Quarter-final 1: Round-of-16 game 4 winner vs Round-of-16 game 3 winner (6pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Quarter-final 2: Round-of-16 game 1 winner vs Round-of-16 game 2 winner (9pm, Roumde Adjia Stadium, Garoua)
Sunday January 30
Quarter-final 3: Round-of-16 game 7 winner vs Round-of-16 game 6 winner (6pm, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Quarter-final 4: Round-of-16 game 5 winner vs Round-of-16 game 8 winner (9pm)
Semi-finals
Wednesday February 2
Semi-final 1: Quarter-final 1 winner vs Quarter-final 4 winner (9pm, Japoma Stadium, Douala)
Thursday February 3
Semi-final 2: Quarter-final 2 winner vs Quarter-final 3 winner (9pm, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde)
Third-place match
Sunday February 6
Semi-final 1 loser vs Semi-final 2 loser (6pm Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo, Yaounde)
Final
Sunday February 6
Semi-final 1 winner vs Semi-final 2 winner (9pm, Olembe Stadium, Yaounde.) — Eurosport.
Online Reporter