The 33rd Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), originally scheduled to hold in June and July 2021, will be played in Cameroon between January 9 and February 6, 2022.
Cameroon, the hosts, will take on Burkina Faso in the opening fixture at the new 60,000-seat Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, while Algeria, who would be looking to retain their 2019 crown, must conquer Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone in group E.
The Augustine Eguavoen tutored Super Eagles side will also have Egypt and Sudan to subdue if they are keen to emulate the success of the 2013 winning team.
Here are the six groups, 24 participating sides, and group fixtures.
Groups
- 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
Group Fixtures
January 9: Matchday 1 on Sunday
- 4pm: Cameroon v Burkina Faso
- 7pm: Ethiopia v Cape Verde
January 10: Matchday 2 on Monday
- 1pm: Senegal v Zimbabwe
- 4pm: Guinea v Malawi
- 4pm: Morocco v Ghana
- 7pm: Comoros v Gabon
January 11: Matchday 3 on Tuesday
- 1pm: Algeria v Sierra Leone
- 4pm: Nigeria v Egypt
- 7pm: Sudan v Guinea Bissau
January 12: Matchday 4 on Wednesday
- 1pm: Tunisia v Mali
- 4pm: Mauritania v Gambia
- 7pm: Equatorial Guinea v Ivory Coast
January 13: Matchday 5
- 4pm: Cameroon v Ethiopia
- 7pm: Cape Verde v Burkina Faso
January 14: Matchday 6
- 1pm: Senegal v Guinea
- 4pm: Malawi v Zimbabwe
- 4pm: Morocco v Comoros
- 7pm: Gabon v Ghana
January 15: Matchday 7
- 4pm: Nigeria v Sudan
- 7pm: Guinea Bissau v Egypt
January 16: Matchday 8
- 1pm: Gambia v Mali
- 4pm: Ivory Coast v Sierra Leone
- 4pm: Tunisia v Mauritania
- 7pm: Algeria v Equitoria Guinea
January 17: Matchday 9
- 4pm: Burkina Faso v Ethiopia
- 4pm: Cape Verde v Cameroon
January 18: Matchday 10
- 4pm: Malawi v Senegal
- 4pm: Zimbabwe v Guinea
- 7pm: Gabon v Morocco
- 7pm: Ghana v Comoros
January 19: Matchday 11
- 7pm: Egypt v Sudan
- 7pm: Guinea Bissau v Nigeria
January 20: Matchday 12
- 4pm: Ivory Coast v Algeria
- 4pm: Sierra Leone v Equatorial Guinea
- 7pm: Gambia v Tunisia
- 7pm: Mali v Mauritania
Round of 16
R16 Match 1: January 23
- 4pm: Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group C at Limbe Stadium, Limbe
R16 Match 2: January 23
- 7pm: Winner Group D vs 3rd Group B/E/F at Roumdé Adjia Stadium, Garoua
R16 Match 4: January 24
- 4pm: Runner-up Group B vs Runner-up Group F at Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam
R16 Match 3: January 24
- 7pm: Winner Group A vs 3rd Group C/D/E at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé
R16 Match 5: January 25
- 4pm: Winner Group B vs 3rd Group A/C/D at Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam
R16 Match 6: January 25
- 7pm: Winner Group C vs 3rd Group A/B/F at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé
R16 Match 7: January 26
- 4pm: Winner Group E vs Runner-up Group D at Japoma Stadium, Douala
R16 Match 8: January 26
- 7pm: Winner Group F vs Runner-up Group E at Limbe Stadium, Limbe
Quarter-finals
Quarter-Final B: January 29
- 4pm: Winner R16-M4 vs Winner R16-M3 at Japoma Stadium, Douala
Quarter-Final A: January 29
- 7pm: Winner R16-M1 vs Winner R16-M2 at Roumdé Adjia Stadium, Garoua
Quarter-Final C: January 30
- 4pm: Winner R16-M7 v Winner R16-M6 at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé
Quarter-Final D: January 30
- 7pm: Winner R16-M5 vs Winner R16-M8 at Japoma Stadium, Douala
Semi-final
SF 1: February 2
- 7pm: Winner QF A vs Winner QF D at Japoma Stadium, Douala
SF 2: February 3
- 7pm: Winner QF B vs Winner QF C at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé
Third-place Match
February 6
- 5pm: Loser SF1 vs Loser SF2 at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé
Final
February 6
- 7pm: Winner SF1 vs Winner SF2 at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé