Countdown to AFCON 2022
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has confirmed the Africa Cup of Nations will take place in Cameroon from January 9 to February 6 in 2022.
By Emma Isimhen
The tournament was due to take place in January and February 2021, but the CAF announced last June that the event would be rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which prevented qualifiers taking place.
Much have been said about the preparedness of the host nation Cameroon but this shouldn’t rob the world of the beautiful spectacle of soccer the AFCON offers. As the CAF President promised, the 2022 AFCON will showcase African football in the best light; “as one of the best, exciting, and most competitive in the world.”
Stadia
The tournament will be played at six stadia: two in the capital Yaounde, the new Japoma Stadium at Douala, with venues also in the towns of Bafoussam, Limbe and Garoua.
Yaounde has the refurbished stadium at Ahmadou Ahidjo but the centrepiece is the new purpose-built 60,000-seater complex in the Olembe area of the city, which will host the opening game of the tournament between Cameroon and Tunisia as well as the final on February 6.
Teams that qualify
Hosts Cameroon will be joined at the tournament by Mali, Guinea, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Ghana, Sudan, The Gambia and Gabon.Morocco, Mauritania, Cape Verde, Egypt, Comoros, Algeria, Zimbabwe, Senegal, Guinea-Bissau, Tunisia, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia and Nigeria have also qualified. Algeria are the reigning champions after beating Senegal in the 2019 final.
Groups
Group A: Burkino Faso, Cameroon, Cape Verde, Ethiopia
Group B: Guinea, Malawi, Senegal, Zimbabwe
Group C: Comoros, Gabon, Ghana, Morocco
Group D: Egypt, Guinea-Bissau, Nigeria, Sudan
Group E: Algeria, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Sierra Leone
Group F: Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Tunisia
Players to Watch
Undouibtedly there will be many great football stars in this tournament, including Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly. All football fans will no doubt be wanting to tune in to watch the tournament and see which African nation comes out as the winner in 2022.
Predictions
Egypt as clear favourites to claim an eighth title, led by the player seen by many as the current best in the world, Mo Salah. Second favourites are Senegal, including star duo Sadio Mane and Kalidou Koulibaly, and Ghana, with hosts Cameroon and holders Algeria, who have Riyad Mahrez in their ranks, also in contention. Nigeria are the dark horses with an attack led by Victor Osimhen
