The first major football tournament of this year kicks off on Sunday, with the AFCON taking centre stage.
A host of Premier League and European stars will descend on Cameroon, with the hosts facing Burkina Faso in the opening game.
First scheduled to start in June 2021 but subsequently brought forward to January last year to avoid Cameroon's rainy season, the tournament has been delayed to 2022 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has faced criticism over the timing of its continental showpiece, and last month had to address rumours the tournament would be further delayed or moved following the emergence of the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
Former Arsenal and England striker Ian Wright said some of the negative media coverage has been "disrespectful" and "tinged with racism".
What's the format and when are the games?
For the second successive tournament, the Nations Cup will have 24 participants.
That means six groups of four, with the top two qualifying for the last 16 alongside the four best-ranked third-placed sides.
Games will be held at 13:00, 16:00 and 19:00 (all times GMT) during the group stages, with the two latter kick-off times being used in the knockout stages from Sunday, 23 January.
The ball being used is the Umbro Toghu, named after a multicoloured and finely embroidered outfit initially designed for royalty but now popular throughout Cameroon.
Who are the main contenders?
It is hard to look past holders Algeria, who are on a 34-match unbeaten run and led by Manchester City winger Riyad Mahrez.
Sadio Mane's Senegal, Africa's top-ranked side for the past three years, were runners-up in 2019 and among the main challengers, while record seven-time champions Egypt boast arguably the best player in the world right now in Mohamed Salah, who has shone for Liverpool this season.
Ghana and Nigeria are among the continent's most successful countries but had unconvincing 2022 World Cup qualification campaigns, while Cameroon - chasing their sixth Nations Cup title - will fancy their chances on home soil.
Mali could be a surprise package after reaching the World Cup play-offs by going unbeaten despite being stripped of home advantage.
Ivory Coast, Morocco and Tunisia are among the other former champions present and, at the other end of the spectrum, Comoros and The Gambia are first-time qualifiers.