AFCON is here: In whose hands are our bets safe?

Cameroon is set to face Burkina Faso in the opening match of the 2022 Africa Cup of nations that is set to kick off tonight.

The 52 match tournament will be played in six cities of the West African Nation as the action commences in Olembe stadium in Cameroun’s capital, Yaoundé.

Other games will be played in Douala’s Japoma Stadium, Roumde Adija, Bafoussam, Ahmadou Ahido and Limbe stadiums respectively.

There are six groups for the 24 participating nations as the hosts face Cape Verde, Ethiopia and Burkina Faso in group A.

Group B will see Senegal face Zimbabwe, Malawi and Guinea as Morocco, Ghana, Gabon and Comoros battle in group C.

The match between Nigeria and Egypt on January 11, will be the opener for group D that also has Sudan and Guinea-Bissau.

The defending champions Algeria look to retain their title as they face Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone and Equatorial Guinea in Group E.

Tunisia, Mali, Gambia and Mauritania close the tournament groupings that will see the top two sides in each of the six groups advance to the next stage along with the four best third placed sides.

The tournament that was pushed in 2021 due to the covid pandemic will run up to February 6, which has been scheduled for the final.

The Algerians are expected to receive the biggest challenge to its title defense from the host nation Cameroon, Senegal, Ivory Coast and Egypt which have deep experienced squads.

Seven time champions, Egypt hopes for the title with their Liverpool forward Mohammed Salah who is the main man to watch from the Pharaohs said to be fit for the fixtures.

Cameroon will also expect to replicate their 2017 glory as the Senegalese led by Liverpool’s Sadio Mane in search for the championship.

Algeria’s captain Riyad Mahrez who plays for Manchester City is also a man to watch in the  competition.

The fast spreading Omicron variant is the main threat for the tournament and fans will expected to show proof of vaccination as the matches will be played with reduced capacity crowds.

Both football lovers and betting diehards in Kenya will have to make proper choices on whose hands they are safe.