Afcon 2021: The groups, the Premier League players and the ones to watch

Some of the Premier League's biggest stars are expected to play at this year's Africa Cup of Nations

The Africa Cup of Nations gets under way in Cameroon on Sunday with some of the world's best players on show.

It's Africa's biggest sporting event and many Premier League players - including Mo Salah, Sadio Mané and Riyad Mahrez - are set to play for their national teams.

So what can we expect and who should we be looking out for?

Here is everything you need to know about this year's tournament.

Where will the tournament be taking place?

The Olembe Stadium in Cameroon's capital Yaounde will host the opening match as well as this year's final

2021 Africa Cup of Nations (often called Afcon 2021) will take place from 9 January to 6 February 2022 in Cameroon.

It's the second time that the country will host the competition, having previously held it in 1972.

The tournament features Africa's best teams and is usually held every two years.

This year's event, the 33rd one to be held, was originally planned to run last summer but had to be postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

For fan safety, spectators must be fully vaccinated and present a negative test result in order to attend this year's games.

The number of supporters in the stadium at each match will also be limited.

Which countries are taking part?

Could Cameroon become the first team since 2006 to win the tournament on home soil?

There are 24 teams who have qualified for Afcon 2021 and they will play in 52 matches across six stadiums in five host cities.

The tournament kicks off with a Group A match between the hosts and Burkina Faso on 9 January at the Olembe Stadium in Cameroon's capital Yaounde.

Group C sees Comoros, a small group of islands off the east coast of Africa, making their first Afcon appearance in their history.

The Gambia, in Group F, are also making their debut at this year's tournament. Could either one of these first timers cause an upset in their groups?

However, many people see the stand-out group stage fixture to be Group D's match between Egypt and Nigeria - two of the most successful nations in African football history. They have won a combined 10 Afcon crowns between them.

The top two teams in each of the six groups will advance to the knockout stage, together with the four highest ranked third-placed teams based on points.

The knockout rounds will run from 23-26 January.

The semi-finals will take place on 2 and 3 February.

And the final and third-place match will take place on 6 February.

Which Premier League players will be there?

Mo Salah posted this cheeky picture alongside Aston Villa midfielder Trézéguet whilst he was sleeping as the Egyptian team-mates travelled on a plane to Afcon

Around 40 Premier League players are expected to leave their clubs for the next few weeks in order to play at Afcon.

All eyes will be on the unstoppable Mo Salah - nicknamed The Egyptian King. He is this season's current Premier League top scorer and widely considered to be one of the best players in the world. Could the Liverpool striker be awarded the Golden Boot (top scorer) at the tournament?

Arsenal will be without club captain and main striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who captains the Gabon national team.

Sadio Mané, Senegal and Liverpool striker, is the most recent winner of the African Footballer of the Year award. He'll no doubt be wanting to prove his worth in this year's competition.

Mané isn't the only Senegalese Premier League player heading to Afcon. Fellow countryman and Chelsea goalkeeper Édouard Mendy will be hoping to keep a clean sheet for his country.

Manchester City striker and Algeria captain Riyad Mahrez lifted the trophy at the last Afcon tournament in 2019, when his country beat Senegal 1-0 in the final to claim the title. Could he do it again this year?

Who are the other key players to watch?

Kalidou Koulibaly is so popular in Naples where he plays his club football, that he has a pizza named after him!

Senegal defender Kalidou Koulibaly who plays his club football at Serie A side Napoli, is widely regarded as being one of the top defenders in the world.

Another defender to keep an eye out for is Morocco and Paris Saint-Germain player Achraf Hakimi. The talented 23-year-old has already earned 41 international caps for his country.

Mauritania have included a 16-year-old in their squad, midfielder Beyatt Lekweiry, who is set to be the youngest player at the tournament. How will he fare in his big stage debut?

Guinea midfielder Ilaix Moriba may only be 18 years old but he's certainly one to watch. The former Barcelona player moved to RB Leipzig at the end of last season and his skills have earned him comparisons to Paul Pogba!

Who are the favourites to lift the trophy?

Algeria are set to defend their Africa Cup of Nations title, which they won in 2019 by beating Senegal 1-0 in the final

Egypt is the most successful nation in the cup's history, having won the tournament seven times. Could Mo Salah and his men make it a record eighth win?

Current holders Algeria will no doubt be hoping to defend their title for the first time.

There are also high hopes for the host nation Cameroon. They are five-time winners of the competition, most recently lifting the trophy in 2017. Will home advantage help them go all the way?

Which team will you be supporting? Who's your favourite African player? Let us know in the comments below!