The African Nations Cup finally gets underway today after a controversial build-up to the 30th edition which included a hasty late switch of hosts to Equatorial Guinea in the wake of concerns over the Ebola virus.
Sixteen nations again line up for the biennial continental championship, seeking Africa’s top sporting prize at the tournament which finishes on February 8.
Few previous editions have had such a dramatic backdrop with the hosting of the 2015 finals being switched two months ago after Morocco asked for a postponement in the wake of the spread of the Ebola virus in west Africa.
Fears that travelling fans could spread Ebola and damage Morocco’s tourist industry were seen as alarmist by the Confederation of African Football, who rejected the request and then stripped Morocco of their hosting rights.
From a country with plentiful resources, who have previously bid to host the World Cup, the Nations Cup is now being played in one of Africa’s smallest and most enigmatic countries.
It is a tournament that this time has no clear favourites and in which almost all the teams will believe they can emerge as champions.
Top contenders
Algeria are Africa’s top-ranked team and would have been a firm favourite were the event still taking place in Morocco.
So, too, would Tunisia, who were impressive in an unbeaten qualifying run in a preliminary group competition that lasted three months from September to November.
But north African teams rarely get into their stride in the difficult weather conditions of central Africa.
Holders Nigeria did not qualify but there is still the perennially strong challenge from the west African region with Ghana, Guinea, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Senegal and Burkina Faso, who were surprise runners-up in South Africa two years ago.
The Ivory Coast have often been favourites but crashed out at the last five tournaments, unable to add to their one success in 1992.
This time the Ivorians, now without their talismanic striker Didier Drogba, stumbled through the qualifiers.
The tournament will be played at four venues.
Stadiums in Bata and Malabo were extensively renovated for the co-hosting of the 2012 finals since when smaller venues have been built in the towns of Ebebiyin (8,000 seats) and Mongomo (15,000) on the far eastern border of the country.
Mongomo is made up of an island in the Atlantic Ocean, where the capital Malabo is situated, and a block of real estate on the African mainland where matches from Groups A, B and C will be hosted.
Bata will stage the opening match and the final.
Playing today
Group B: 17.00 Zambia vs Congo; 20.00 Tunisia vs Cape Verde.