For 20 days Africa will dominated by the “beautiful game”. Sixteen teams have gathered in Ghana to compete in the 26th African Cup of Nations tournament. The event will start on January 20 and will be covered by TV channels Eurosport and Eurosport 2 from the very first kick of the ball until the final whistle on February 10.

The competing countries have been split into four groups:

Group A: Ghana, Guinea, Morocco, Namibia; Group B: Benin, Ivory Coast, Mali, Nigeria; Group C: Cameroon, Egypt, Sudan, Zambia; Group D: Angola, Senegal,  South Africa, Tunisia. 

The hosts, Ghana, are considered favourites in their group, and the whole tournament itself as they have a strong record in the competition, having won it four times and the previous two competitions, Egypt (2006) and Tunisia (2004), were both won by the host country.

The favourites in group B are Nigeria who are regular participants in world cup tournaments.

In group C the fight will be between Egypt (who have won the tournament a record five times and are the current holder) and Cameroon (four-times winners). Group D can be described as the group of “death” since each of the teams has a strong chance of reaching the final. 

Both South Africa and Nigeria will be looking for at least a bronze medal, especially since the two countries’ teams have failed to achieve anything substantial since1996.   

In 2002, Cameroon became the first, and so far only, country to have won two consecutive titles, when they beat Senegal on penalties in Mali.

The first African Cup of Nations was held in 1957 in Sudan and was won by Egypt.