The 32nd installment of the competition will be the biggest yet. Much has changed, a series of top stars are competing, and more than a few teams have realistic chances of winning it all.
Image: picture-alliance/AP Photo/T. Hadebe
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Where is it being played?
Egypt will host the 32nd African Cup of Nations, but that wasn't how it was intended to be. Cameroon were named as the host nation back in 2014. However, failure to provide adequate infrastructure at match venues, combined with the conflict between French- and English-speakers in the country, prompted Africa's CAF football federation to withdraw Cameroon's hosting rights in January.
The games will take place in four venues split between six stadiums. The capital Cairo boasts three stadiums: the Cairo International Stadium, the Al Salam Stadium and the June 30 Stadium (a controversial name referring to the fall of former President Mohamed Morsi in 2013). The other host cities are Suez, Alexandria and Ismailia. The final will take place in Cairo on 19 June at the Cairo International Stadium.
Who are the favorites?
It goes without saying that hosts Egypt, boasting Mo Salah in their side, and reigning champions Cameroon belong among the front-runners. But, as usual at this competition, narrowing the field of potential contenders is not easy.
Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria and Ghana are just some of the teams with at least a chance of claiming the title. Tanzania's coach Emmanuel Amunike hit the nail on the head when he warned to write nobody off: "All the teams that are here are good," the 48-year-old former Sporting and Barcelona striker said.
Sadio Mane will take center stage for Senegal up frontImage: Reuters/M. Rossi
The tournament also includes three countries that have never made the cut: Burundi, Mauritania and Madagascar.
Who are the stars?
With the games being played in Egypt, it's difficult to look far past Mohammed Salah. Liverpool's forward could an international title to his Champions League triumph. It would be Salah's first African Cup of Nations trophy; Egypt may lead Africa with seven titles, but they haven't won since 2007.
Liverpool are well represented throughout. Sadio Mane is surely Senegal's standout star, while Naby Keita will look to drive Guinea's midfield.
If no one else, Jürgen Klopp must be glad he didn't have to endure a month without these three at Liverpool mid-seasonImage: picture-alliance/Actionplus
The contingent of leading Premier League stars is rounded out with Morocco and Manchester City winger Riyadh Mahrez. Fans and scouts alike will have their eyes on versatile Ajax attacker Hakim Ziyech, another member of Morocco's deep squad. Ziyech has been told he's free to leave, and reportedly dreams of a move to Barcelona or Arsenal. Several Bundesliga clubs are said to have put out feelers regarding the 26-year-old, the same goes for Inter Milan and AS Roma.
Fifteen Bundesliga players have made it to the tournament, including Guinea's Ibrahima Traore (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Senegal's Salif Sane (Schalke) and the Ivory Coast's Amadou Haidara (RB Leipzig).
What else is new?
For the first time, the competition is being played in the northern hemisphere's summer. In the past it took place in January and February, meaning that the star players at European clubs would miss an important phase of the domestic season. This scheduling fits the big teams better, but the higher temperatures could prove an extra burden on players already fatigued by a long season.
And, as in so many international competitions of late, expansion's the name of the game. For the first time, 24 teams rather than 16 will take part — following in the footsteps of Euro 2018 and the Women's World Cup.
The upshot's the same at the other competitions: very few teams will drop out in the group phase. Instead of two progressing from each group, now the top two from each of the six groups plus the four best-performing third-placed finishers will advance to the first knockout round of 16.
Africa Cup of Nations 2019: The Bundesliga connection
In the 32nd edition of the Africa Cup of Nations the battle for continental supremacy is set to be one of the best yet. There are plenty of familiar faces for Bundesliga fans to get behind. DW takes a look...
Image: picture-alliance/AP Images/A. Bounhar
Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
Despite his tender age of 20, Hakimi was a permanent fixture at Borussia Dortmund when fit. Following a foot injury in April, the Real Madrid loanee's participation at AFCON was in doubt, but Africa’s Young Player of the Year has since been given the all clear to represent Morocco.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/A. Surma
Ibrahima Traore (Guinea)
The Borussia Mönchengladbach man made just 11 Bundesliga appearances this season, in part due to undergoing groin surgery. The 31-year-old forward, who will captain Guinea, told Rheinische Post that he’s 100 percent fit, and that he intends to lead his national team to the last 16 at the very least.
Sane's performances were one of the few bright spots in a dismal campaign for Schalke as he became a focal figure in the Royal Blues' backline in his debut season. The defender featured in almost every game for the Gelsenkirchen side, but will be hoping for fairer fortunes when he takes to the pitch with Senegal.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/B. Thissen
Kasim Adams Nuhu (Ghana)
While he's known in Bundesliga circles as Kasim Adams, he went by Kasim Nuhu during his time in Switzerland where he played for Young Boys Bern, collecting a title-winners medal in 2018 before moving to Hoffenheim. An injury in the early stages of the season proved a tough setback to recover from, resulting in Adams making just 13 Bundesliga appearances.
Image: picture-alliance/NurPhoto/J. Breton
Amadou Haidara (Mali)
The 21-year-old is one of several players to have swapped Red Bull Salzburg for RB Leipzig after making the move in January. After arriving in Austria in 2016, the dynamic midfielder went on to win the UEFA Youth League with Salzburg's Under-19s in 2017, which was the same year he made his debut for Mali.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. Woitas
Jean-Philippe Gbamin (Ivory Cost)
The midfielder will see the Africa Cup of Nations as an opportunity to put himself in the shop window. It's no secret that Gbamin is looking to leave Mainz this summer, with the Premier League seemingly his preferred destination. He has said, however, that he could see himself playing for "Leverkusen or Dortmund."
Image: Imago/J. Huebner
Chadrac Akolo (DR Congo)
The Stuttgart forward moved to Switzerland as a refugee in 2009 and, at one point, even considered choosing to represent his adopted home instead of DR Congo at international level. In 2018-19, Akolo made 16 Bundesliga appearances, but failed to get his name on the scoresheet as Stuttgart got relegated.
Image: picture-alliance/Pressefoto Rudel/R. Rudel
Simon Falette (Guinea)
Falette was born in France, but he is also a Guinean national. He’s been playing for Eintracht Frankfurt since 2017, going on to make 29 appearances in the 17-18 season. Last season he dropped down the pecking order, but did feature in seven of Frankfurt's 14 Europa League game.
Image: picture-alliance/GES/M. Ibo
Cebio Soukou (Benin)
It may not be the Bundesliga, but Cebio Soukou spent the 18-19 season playing for Hansa Rostock from Germany’s third division. The striker made his international debut for Benin just a few months ago. He is to move to second-division side Arminia Bielefeld after the AFCON.
Image: picture-alliance/Fotostand/Voelker
Manfred Starke (Namibia)
Also hailing from Germany's third tier is Manfred Starke, who has been on FC Carl-Zeiss Jena's books since 2015. Starke, who also has German citizenship, joined Hansa Rostock's youth program in 2013 after moving from the Namibian capital of Windhoek. A left midfielder by trade, Starke is also capable of playing on the left side of a back four or in central midfield.
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Marcel Tisserand (Congo)
Tisserand grew up in France, but decided to represent Congo in 2013. The versatile defender moved to Germany in 2016, when he joined Ingolstadt. After being relegated with Die Schanzer, he took his talents to Wolfsburg a year later and next season is due to feature in the UEFA Europa League with the Wolves.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/S. Pförtner
Pierre Kunde Malong (Cameroon)
Despite receiving his footballing education while on the books at Atletico Madrid, Kunde Malong never made the breakthrough in the Spanish capital. After making the step up as a first-team regular during loans with Extremadura UD and Granada, the 23-year-old moved to Mainz where his bullish qualities in midfield quickly saw him establish himself as a first-team regular.
Image: picture-alliance/Bild Pressehaus
Jamilu Collins (Nigeria)
Shortly after his 18th birthday Collins moved from Nigeria to Croatia in order to join HNK Rijeka. After a tough time with Rijeka, which saw him loaned out to various Croatian clubs, Collins joined Paderborn in 2017. The left back has since earned back-to-back promotions with the minnows, who will be back in the Bundesliga next season.
Image: picture-alliance/SvenSimon/J. Kuppert
Mohamed Dräger (Tunisia)
Collins won't be the only Paderborn representative in Egypt with Dräger called up by Tunisia. Born in Freiburg it was with SC Freiburg where Dräger came through the youth ranks before making his debut for the club in July of 2017 in a UEFA Europa League qualifier against NK Domzale. In order to get more regular game time, Dräger was loaned out to Paderborn in 2018.
