Africa Cup of Nations 2015: Dates, Draw, Schedule, Live Stream and Predictions
The 30th Africa Cup of Nations gets under way in Equatorial Guinea on Saturday with the hosts kicking things off against Congo.
As preparations go, the 2015 AFCON has not had the smoothest of rides, with original hosts Morocco pulling out just two months ago over fears about the spread of Ebola.
However, the tournament's start has finally arrived with all matches set to go ahead in Bata, Malabo, Mongomo and Ebebiyin.
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Ivory Coast and Algeria are amongst the favourites, while reigning champions from 2013, Nigeria, have not even qualified to defend their title.
Read on for all the necessary details ahead of three weeks of high-quality international football.
Dates: Jan. 17 to Feb. 8
Live Stream: All matches can be live streamed in the UK on Eurosport Player, highlights available via ITV Player. US viewers can catch the action via beIN Sports Connect.
Schedule
| Date | Time (GMT/ET) | Stage | Fixture |
| Jan. 17 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Group A | Equatorial Guinea v Congo |
| Jan. 17 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Group A | Burkina Faso v Gabon |
| Jan. 18 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Group B | Zambia v Congo DR |
| Jan. 18 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Group B | Tunisia v Cape Verde Islands |
| Jan. 19 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Group C | Ghana v Senegal |
| Jan. 19 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Group C | Algeria v South Africa |
| Jan. 20 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Group D | Ivory Coast v Guinea |
| Jan. 20 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Group D | Mali v Cameroon |
| Jan. 21 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Group A | Equatorial Guinea v Burkina Faso |
| Jan. 21 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Group A | Gabon v Congo |
| Jan. 22 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Group B | Zambia v Tunisia |
| Jan. 22 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Group B | Cape Verde Islands v Congo DR |
| Jan. 23 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Group C | Ghana v Algeria |
| Jan. 23 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Group C | South Africa v Senegal |
| Jan. 24 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Group D | Ivory Coast v Mali |
| Jan. 24 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Group D | Cameroon v Guinea |
| Jan. 25 | 6 p.m./1 p.m. | Group A | Congo v Burkina Faso |
| Jan. 25 | 6 p.m./1 p.m. | Group A | Gabon v Equatorial Guinea |
| Jan. 26 | 6 p.m./1 p.m. | Group B | Cape Verde Islands v Zambia |
| Jan. 26 | 6 p.m./1 p.m. | Group B | Congo DR v Tunisia |
| Jan. 27 | 6 p.m./1 p.m. | Group C | Senegal v Algeria |
| Jan. 27 | 6 p.m./1 p.m. | Group C | South Africa v Ghana |
| Jan. 28 | 6 p.m./1 p.m. | Group D | Cameroon v Ivory Coast |
| Jan. 28 | 6 p.m./1 p.m. | Group D | Guinea v Mali |
| Jan. 31 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Quarter-Final 1 | Group A Winner v Group B Second Place |
| Jan. 31 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Quarter-Final 2 | Group B Winner v Group A Second Place |
| Feb. 1 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Quarter-Final 3 | Group C Winner v Group D Second Place |
| Feb. 1 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Quarter-Final 4 | Group D Winner v Group C Second Place |
| Feb. 4 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Semi-Final 1 | Quarter-Final 1 Winner v Quarter-Final 4 Winner |
| Feb. 5 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Semi-Final 2 | Quarter-Final 2 Winner v Quarter-Final 3 Winner |
| Feb. 7 | 4 p.m./11 a.m. | Third-place | Semi-Final 1 Loser v Semi-Final 2 Loser |
| Feb. 8 | 7 p.m./2 p.m. | Final | Semi-Final 1 Winner v Semi-Final 2 Winner |
Preview and Predictions
Of all 16 competing teams, Ivory Coast undoubtedly have the most recognisable set of stars, with the likes of Yaya and Kolo Toure, Wilfried Bony, Gervinho and Cheick Tiote all set to appear at AFCON 2015.
However, Herve Renard—coach of the victorious Zambia team in 2012—will be without long-term Ivory Coast talisman Didier Drogba.
The Elephants have consistently underperformed at Africa's major international tournament in recent years despite their host of world stars, with their last triumph coming way back in 1992.
They face a hugely tough test to even get out of their group as they are up against Cameroon, Mali and Guinea with potential opponents in a theoretical quarter-final of South Africa, Ghana, Senegal or Algeria.
Ivory Coast, despite their wealth of talent, look set for another disappointing tournament and will not make it past the quarter-final stage.
Cameroon could well be in for a successful tournament, having recovered somewhat since a calamitous and somewhat embarrassing World Cup campaign in which they lost every game while scoring just once.
Big-name players Alex Song and Samuel Eto'o are no longer available, having retired from international duty since Brazil, potentially a blessing for Cameroon.
African football expert Jonathan Wilson believes they have a decent side, per Sky Sports' Adam Bate and Jonathan Wilson, and they should find themselves in a fine position by topping Group D:
"Cameroon really have learnt their lessons. Volker Finke has had a bit of time now since the World Cup. They’ve got rid of Samuel Eto’o and they’ve had the whole Alex Song issue following his loss of discipline in Brazil. It’s a very young side and he’s got them playing the way he wants to play.
"
Ghana set World Cup 2010 on fire as they made it to the quarter-finals, but struggled in Brazil in a nightmare group that included Germany, Portugal and USA.
However, the Black Stars in no way embarrassed themselves in the summer, drawing 2-2 with eventual winners Germany and narrowly losing to USA and Portugal.
They are being tipped by the BBC's Farayi Mungazi to go all the way, while Betfair's Dave Farrar also sees them going deep:
Algeria are also potential winners and showed terrific quality at the World Cup while also topping their AFCON qualifying group with five wins from six.
Yacine Brahimi is the star of the team, and be prepared to see the Algerians reach the final, but as Bate and Wilson point out, history is against a North African side winning outside North Africa.
Given the nature of the groups, there are sure to be some high-profile early casualties, while Group A and Group B could be topped by almost anyone.
There is certainly a beneficial side of the draw to be on; the tourney is likely to see Ivory Coast's early exit as well as added fatigue for top outfits like Algeria and Ghana, who will have to come through tough matches.
Thus, it is certainly possible that the eventual winner may come from either Group A or Group B, with the likes of Tunisia, Zambia and Burkina Faso all in with a chance of finishing as winners.
Whatever happens, it is set to be a high-quality, breathless tournament made all the better for the fact that it looked, not so long ago, as though it may not go ahead at all.
