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Africa Cup of Nations 2019 draw: Nigeria take on Guinea; Cameroon draw Ghana

  /  Henri2333

Hosts Egypt will face DR Congo, Uganda and Zimbabwe in Group A at the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations. Defending champions Cameroon are in Group F with Ghana, Benin and Guinea-Bissau.

The tournament will take place from 21 June to 19 July, meaning Europe-based players will not miss club games.

It is the biggest Afcon yet, with 24 teams, and the first to be held in Europe's summer rather than January or February.

The draw was held next to the pyramids of Giza.

Morocco coach Herve Renard is looking to win an unprecedented third Africa Cup of Nations - with a third team. The Atlas Lions are in Group D with one of the previous teams he won it with, the Ivory Coast. South Africa and neighbouring Namibia complete that group.

The first game of the tournament will be Egypt - who are likely to have Liverpool star Mohamed Salah in their team - against Zimbabwe on 21 June at Cairo Stadium.

Two of the three tournament debutants - Madagascar and Burundi - are in Group B with Nigeria and Guinea.

The other new team, Mauritania, are in Group E with Tunisia, Mali and Angola.

Senegal and Algeria are alongside Kenya and Tanzania, who have only qualified once before - in 1980 - in Group C.

Two teams from each group will go into the last 16, with the four best third-placed teams also progressing.

Draw in full

Group A: Egypt, DR Congo, Uganda, Zimbabwe

Group B: Nigeria, Guinea, Madagascar, Burundi

Group C: Senegal, Algeria, Kenya, Tanzania

Group D: Morocco, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Namibia

Group E: Tunisia,Mali, Mauritania, Angola

Group F: Cameroon,Ghana, Benin, Guinea-Bissau

Which Premier League players could be there?

Egypt: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool), Mohamed Elneny (Arsenal)

Senegal: Sadio Mane (Liverpool), Idrissa Gueye (Everton), Cheikhou Kouyate (Crystal Palace)

Morocco: Romain Saiss (Wolves)

Nigeria: Alex Iwobi (Arsenal), Wilfred Ndidi (Leicester)

Algeria: Riyad Mahrez (Man City)

Ivory Coast: Serge Aurier (Tottenham), Eric Bailly (Man Utd), Jean Michael Seri (Fulham), Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)

Kenya: Victor Wanyama (Tottenham)

Ghana: Christian Atsu (Newcastle), Jeffrey Schlupp (Crystal Palace), Jordan Ayew (Crystal Palace)

Cameroon: Gaetong Bong (Brighton), Andre-Frank Zambo Anguissa (Fulham)

DR Congo: Arthur Masuaku (West Ham)

Benin: Steve Mounie (Huddersfield)

Guinea: Naby Keita (Liverpool)

What is the Africa Cup of Nations?

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is the biennial international men's football championship of Africa organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

This summer's tournament will be the 32nd edition of the competition and it will be the first Africa Cup of Nations where the competition format has been expanded from 16 to 24 teams.

It will take place from June 15, 2019, to July 13, 2019, following the decision made by the CAF Executive Committee in June 2017 to move the Africa Cup of Nations from the January/February period to June/July for the first time.

This means that European-based players intending to participate in the Africa Cup of Nations with their country will not be forced to take leave of their club duties during January and February, as had been the case in previous seasons.

It is good news for fans of the Premier League as players such as Sadio Mane (Senegal), Mohamed Salah (Egypt) and Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) will not be withdrawn from club duty mid-season with Liverpool and Manchester City, respectively.

Previous Africa Cup of Nations winners

Cameroon are defending champions after winning their fifth title in 2017 against Egypt in the final, triumphing 2-1 courtesy of goals from Nikolas Nkoulou and Vincent Aboukabar.

The Pharaohs have won the competition the most times, having been victors on a record seven occasions, but have not won the tournament since 2010 when they defeated Ghana in the final.

Ivory Coast were victors of the 2015 edition, with Nigeria and Zambia having won the 2013 and 2012 tournaments respectively.

Premier League stars in Salah, Mane, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Mahrez all featured in the 2017 tournament, with all four bagging two goals apiece.

Congolese striker Junior Kabananga won the award for the competition's top-scorer, and Cameroonian Christian Bassogog was awarded the honour of the tournament's best-performing player.