The 2019 Africa Cup of Nations is upon us, with 24 teams competing for glory in Egypt.
Cameroon return as defending AFCON champions, having beaten Egypt 2-1 in the 2017 final.
The Indomitable Lions are out to defend their crown, but will face renewed pressure from hosts Egypt, who boasting Mohamed Salah still flying high after his Champions League triumph with Liverpool.
However, Salah's Liverpool team-mate Sadio Mane is also in with a shout of glory with Senegal heavily backed to lift the trophy.
Here's what you need to know for the upcoming drama...
Egypt will stage the competition from June 21 until July 19. Six venues across four cities will be used, with three stadia in Cairo and one each in Alexandria, Suez and Ismailia.
The 74,100-capacity Cairo International Stadium will host the final and the opening match. Cameroon were initially selected as hosts but were stripped of the responsibility in November by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) because "a number of compliance conditions" had not been met.
The start of the tournament was also pushed back six days to allow players to rest after the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Teams
Egypt, Madagascar, Tunisia, Senegal, Morocco, Nigeria, Uganda, Mali, Guinea, Algeria, Mauritania, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Ghana, Angola, Burundi, Cameroon, Guinea-Bissau, Namibia, Zimbabwe, DR Congo, Benin, Tanzania, South Africa
Which Premier League stars are involved?
Liverpool trio Salah (Egypt), Mane (Senegal), and Naby Keita (Guinea) will be among the Premier League talent on display.
Crystal Palace forward Wilfried Zaha and Tottenham full-back Serge Aurier have been included in Ivory Coast's squad, while Manchester City title-winner Riyad Mahrez is Algeria's star man.
Other top-flight players involved include Arsenal's Alex Iwobi (Nigeria), Spurs midfielder Victor Wanyama (Kenya), and Everton's Idrissa Gueye (Senegal).
Since the last competition in 2017, the biennial tournament has been expanded from 16 teams to 24. It will follow a similar format to Euro 2016. Countries have been drawn into six groups of four and will face each group opponent once.
The top two teams are guaranteed places in the knockout stages, while the four best third-place teams will also progress. The tournament will be played in Europe's summer for the first time.
It has previously been held in January and February, causing disputes with European clubs who lose players during the season.
Groups
The top two teams from each group will go through to the knockout stages, along with the top four third-placed teams.
GROUP B: NIGERIA, GUINEA, MADAGASCAR, BURUNDI
Two debutantes and two household names will be squaring off in a group which could present some of the 2019 AFCON’s biggest upsets.
NIGERIA
Nigeria are three-time AFCON winners and will be making an 18th appearance in Egypt. The Super Eagles won their first title on home soil in 1980 and added the second at Tunisia 1994.
They secured their most recent title in 2013 following a 1-0 victory over Burkina Faso in the final in South Africa but failed to attend the last two editions. The West Africans have finished as runners-up on four occasions and won bronze medal seven times.
GUINEA
The Syli Nationale of Guinea have never won the AFCON despite featuring in 12 of the 31 editions held so far. Their best record at the competition came at Ethiopia 1976 when it finished as runners-up.
With the exception of the 2017 tournament held in Gabon, Guinea have made it to the quarter-finals in four recent editions (2004, 2006, 2008, 2015).
MADAGASCAR
Madagascar have never made an appearance at any of the previous editions of the AFCON. The 2019 finals in Egypt will be the very first of its kind for the Barea.
BURUNDI
Just like Madagascar, the Swallows of Burundi will also be making their debut at the AFCON 2019 finals in Egypt.
Pos Team P W D L GD Pts
1 Nigeria 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 Guinea 0 0 0 0 0 0
3 Madagascar 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 Burundi 0 0 0 0 0 0
| Posted: at | |
kennynaija
TRENDING GISTS 
"Stop Demarketing Nigeria Because You Lost Election" - Omokri Blasts Peter Obi
BREAKING: JAMB Releases 2024 UTME Results
PICS: "I Got Money But I'm Lonely And Broken. I Have No One At All" – Singer, Skales Laments
BREAKING: Finidi George Gets NFF's Nod As New Super Eagles Coach
Meet Ndubuisi Egbo The First-Ever Nigerian Coach To Lead an European Team To A League Title