The thirty-third edition of the Africa Cup of Nations gets underway next month, January 2022, with proceedings set to take place in Cameroon between January 9 to February 6.
There had been rumours that the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations - billed 'AFCON 2021' despite taking place in 2022 - was going to be postponed indefinitely. Those rumours were quickly quashed, but with the pandemic ongoing, it is a situation that governing bodies are likely to be keeping a close watch on.
Algeria will go into the tournament as defending champions, but bookmakers have made Mo Salah's Egypt the early pre-tournament favourites.
How to watch AFCON 2021 on UK TV
Yesterday, December 15, it was confirmed that all 52 matches throughout the tournament will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
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The tournament kicks off with hosts Cameroon hosting Burkina Faso.
AFCON 2021 Draw
Group A : Cameroon (hosts), Burkina Faso, Cape Verde Islands, Ethiopia
Group B : Guinea, Malawi, Senegal, Zimbabwe
Group C : Comoros Islands, Gabon, Ghana, Morocco
Group D : Egypt, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Sudan
Group E : Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone
Group F : Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Tunisia
AFCON 2021 Key Dates
- January 9 - AFCON group stage starts
- January 20 - AFCON group stage ends
- January 23 to 26 - AFCON last 16
- January 29 and 30 - AFCON quarter-finals
- February 2 and 3 - AFCON semi-finals
- February 6 - AFCON final and third-place play-off
