Talk of the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) has increased in recent weeks given its timing, but despite some doubts the tournament is set to go ahead in January.
Cameroon are the hosts, Algeria the defending champions, and those two nations are among the favourites in an Afcon which bookmakers are finding difficult to call.
Qualifying for the 2022 World Cup is not over in Africa but has at least offered some insight into the nations in form, with 10 teams left vying for five places in Qatar.
Algeria and Cameroon were among the group winners still in with a shot, so too Egypt and Senegal, and they are set to find out their opponents in the final round of World Cup qualifying while Afcon is still taking place.
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When does Afcon start?
That draw for the World Cup qualifiers takes place on 26 January, while Afcon is set to start on 9 January, with 24 nations taking part.
The tournament begins with Cameroon taking on Burkina Faso at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, which will also host the final on 6 February.
What is the Afcon schedule?
Much like the current European Championship format, the 24 teams are divided into six groups with the winners and runners-up reaching the round of 16, so too the four best third-placed teams.
Group A
- 9 January: Cameroon vs Burkina Faso
- 9 January: Ethiopia vs Cape Verde
- 13 January: Cameroon vs Ethiopia
- 13 January: Cape Verde vs Burkina Faso
- 17 January: Cape Verde vs Cameroon
- 17 January: Burkina Faso vs Ethiopia
Group B
- 10 January: Senegal vs Zimbabwe
- 10 January: Guinea vs Malawi
- 14 January: Senegal vs Guinea
- 14 January: Malawi vs Zimbabwe
- 18 January: Malawi vs Senegal
- 18 January: Zimbabwe vs Guinea
Group C
- 10 January: Morocco vs Ghana
- 10 January: Comoros vs Gabon
- 14 January: Morocco vs Comoros
- 14 January: Gabon vs Ghana
- 18 January: Gabon vs Morocco
- 18 January: Ghana vs Comoros
Group D
- 11 January: Nigeria vs Egypt
- 11 January: Sudan vs Guinea-Bissau
- 15 January: Nigeria vs Sudan
- 15 January: Guinea-Bissau vs Egypt
- 19 January: Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria
- 19 January: Egypt vs Sudan
Group E
- 11 January: Algeria vs Sierra Leone
- 11 January: Equatorial Guinea vs Ivory Coast
- 15 January: Ivory Coast vs Sierra Leone
- 15 January: Algeria vs Equatorial Guinea
- 19 January: Ivory Coast vs Algeria
- 19 January: Sierra Leone vs Equatorial Guinea
Group F
- 12 January: Tunisia vs Mali
- 12 January: Mauritania vs Gambia
- 16 January: Gambia vs Mali
- 16 January: Tunisia vs Mauritania
- 20 January: Gambia vs Tunisia
- 20 January: Mali vs Mauritania
Knockout schedule
Round of 16
- 23 January: Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group C (1)
- 23 January: Winner Group D vs 3rd Group B/E/F (2)
- 24 January: Runner-up Group B vs Runner-up Group F (5)
- 24 January: Winner Group A vs 3rd Group C/D/E (6)
- 25 January: Winner Group B vs 3rd Group A/C/D (3)
- 25 January: Winner Group C vs 3rd Group A/B/F (8)
- 26 January: Winner Group E vs Runner-up Group D (7)
- 26 January: Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group E (4)
Quarter-final
- 29 January: Winners Rof16 1 vs 2 (QF1)
- 29 January: Winners Rof16 5 vs 6 (QF3)
- 30 January: Winners of Rof16 3 vs 4 (QF2)
- 30 January: Winners of Rof16 7 vs 8 (QF4)
Semi-final
- 2 February: Winners of QF 1 vs 2
- 3 February: Winners of QF 3 vs 4
Third-place play-off & Final – 6 February
How to watch Afcon in the UK
Both the BBC and Sky Sports will broadcast the Africa Cup of Nations in the UK.
Sky Sports is showing all 52 games live and have agreed for the BBC to show 10 games, including two quarter-finals, both semi-finals, and the final. BBC also has digital clips on social media as part of the deal.
Afcon 2022 winner odds
Odds correct per Sky Bet at the time of writing:
- Algeria – 5-1
- Egypt – 11-2
- Senegal – 11-2
- Ivory Coast – 7-1
- Cameroon – 9-1
- Morocco – 9-1
- Nigeria – 10-1
- Ghana – 12-1
- Tunisia – 14-1
- Burkina Faso – 25-1
- Mali – 25-1
- Gabon – 33-1
- Guinea – 33-1
- Cape Verde – 50-1
- Gambia – 50-1
- Guinea-Bissau – 80-1
- Zimbabwe – 80-1
- Ethiopia – 100-1
- Sierra Leone – 100-1
- Mauritania – 125-1
- Equatorial Guinea – 150-1
- Comoros – 200-1
- Malawi – 200-1
- Sudan – 200-1
Premier League players at Afcon
Up to 40 players are set to be involved in Afcon from England’s top flight, including Liverpool duo Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane, Manchester City’s Riyad Mahrez and Chelsea’s Edouard Mendy. Hakim Ziyech will not be going, however, after being left out of Morocco’s squad.
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