The African Cup of Nations 2021 will begin with hosts Cameroon locking horns against Burkina Faso at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde on Sunday, January 9.

The 33rd edition of Africa’s grandest football competition will be held across five cities in Cameroon. The tournament was initially supposed to be played between June and July 2021 but owing to climate conditions and the COVID-19 pandemic, organizers agreed to postpone it to a window between January and February 2022.

The 24 teams participating in AFCON 2021 are divided into six groups of four teams each. Among the prominent nations, defending champions Algeria have been drawn alongside Ivory Coast in Group E, while seven-time winners Egypt are clubbed with Nigeria in Group D.

The AFCON will be played in six stadiums - Olembe Stadium and Stade Ahmadou Ahidjo in the capital Yaounde, the Japoma Stadium in Douala, the Limbe Stadium in Limbe, the Kouekong Stadium in Bafoussam and the Roumde Adjia Stadium in Garoua.

The final of AFCON 2021 will be played at the Olembe Stadium in Yaounde on February 7.

African Cup of Nations 2021 groups

Group A: Cameroon, Burkina Faso, Ethiopia, Cape Verde

Group B: Senegal, Zimbabwe, Guinea, Malawi

Group C: Morocco, Ghana, Comoros, Gabon

Group D: Nigeria, Egypt, Sudan, Guinea-Bissau

Group E: Algeria, Sierra-Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast

Group F: Tunisia, Mali, Mauritania, Gambia

African Cup of Nations 2021 schedule, fixtures and live India match times

All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST)

Sunday, January 9

Cameroon vs Burkina Faso - 9:30 PM

Monday, January 10

Ethiopia vs Cape Verde - 12:30 AM

Senegal vs Zimbabwe - 6:30 PM

Morocco vs Ghana - 9:30 PM

Guinea vs Malawi - 9:30 PM

Tuesday, January 11

Comoros vs Gabon - 12:30 AM

Algeria vs Sierra Leone - 6:30 PM

Nigeria vs Egypt - 9:30 PM

Wednesday, January 12

Sudan vs Guinea-Bissau - 12:30 AM

Tunisia vs Mali - 6:30 PM

Mauritania vs Gambia - 9:30 PM

Thursday, January 13

Equatorial Guinea vs Ivory Coast - 12:30 AM

Cameroon vs Ethiopia - 9:30 PM

Friday, January 14

Cape Verde vs Burkina Faso - 12:30 AM

Senegal vs Guinea - 6:30 PM

Malawi vs Zimbabwe - 9:30 PM

Morocco vs Comoros - 10:30 PM

Saturday, January 15

Gabon vs Ghana - 12:30 AM

Nigeria vs Sudan - 9:30 PM

Sunday, January 16

Guinea-Bissau vs Egypt - 12:30 AM

Gambia vs Mali - 6:30 PM

Ivory Coast vs Sierra Leone - 9:30 PM

Tunisia vs Mauritania - 9:30 PM

Monday, January 17

Algeria vs Equatorial Guinea - 12:30 AM

Burkina Faso vs Ethiopia - 10:30 PM

Cape Verde vs Cameroon - 10:30 PM

Tuesday, January 18

Malawi vs Senegal - 9:30 PM

Zimbabwe vs Guinea - 10:30 PM

Wednesday, January 19

Gabon vs Morocco - 12:30 AM

Ghana vs Comoros - 1:30 AM

Thursday, January 20

Egypt vs Sudan - 1:30 AM

Guinea-Bissau vs Nigeria - 1:30 AM

Ivory Coast vs Algeria - 9:30 PM

Sierra Leone vs Equatorial Guinea - 10:30 PM

Friday, January 21

Gambia vs Tunisia - 1:30 AM

Mali vs Mauritania - 1:30 AM

African Cup of Nations 2021 knockouts schedule, fixtures and live India match times

All timings are in Indian Standard Time (IST)

Round of 16

Sunday, January 23

Group A second place vs Group C second place - 9:30 PM

Monday, January 24

Group D winner vs Group B/E/F third place - 12:30 AM

Group B second place vs Group F second place - 9:30 PM

Tuesday, January 25

Group A winner vs Group C/D/E third place - 12:30 AM

Group B winner vs Group A/C/D third place - 10:30 PM

Wednesday, January 26

Group C winner vs Group A/B/F third place - 12:30 AM

Group E winner vs Group D second place - 9:30 PM

Thursday, January 27

Group F winner vs Group E second place - 12:30 AM

Quarter-finals

Saturday, January 29

R16 game 4 winner vs R16 game 3 winner - 9:30 PM

Sunday, January 30

R16 game 1 winner vs R16 game 2 winner - 12:30 AM

R16 game 7 winner vs R16 game 6 winner - 9:30 PM

Monday, January 31

R16 game 5 winner vs R16 game 8 winner - 12:30 AM

Semi-finals

Thursday, February 3

Quarter-final 1 winner vs Quarter-final 4 winner - 12:30 AM

Friday, February 4

Quarter-final 2 winner vs Quarter-final 3 winner - 12:30 AM

Third place playoff

Sunday, February 6 - 9:30 PM

AFCON 2021 Final

Monday, February 7 - 12:30 AM

Where to watch the African Cup of Nations 2021 live in India?

The African Cup of Nations 2021 will be telecast live on the Sony Six and Sony ESPN SD and HD TV channels in India from Sunday, January 9. Coverage will begin from 9.30 PM.

Live streaming of the African Cup of Nations 2021 will be available on the SonyLIV app and website in India.

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Featured photo: AFP / DANIEL BELOUMOU OLOMO