The long-awaited AFCON 2021 starts off this Sunday with the game between Cameroon and Burkina Faso. The authorities discussed a lot what to do with the tournament having in mind the current circumstances. In the end, they gave it the green light, but the recent spikes in Covid-19 cases forced them to take some measures.
The tournament will take place under harsh restrictions that need to be followed. CAF has set the ground rules to prevent further Covid-19 spread. The games will have limited stadium capacity down to 60% in order to avoid potential problems. This will secure enough space in-between the audience, but the restrictions don’t stop here.
🚨 BREAKING 🚨 Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang 🇬🇦 has tested positive for Covid-19 and doubtful for Gabon's AFCON opener on Monday against Comoros. 😳 pic.twitter.com/JnnzniDbud
— Arsenal News Channel (@Arsenalnewschan) January 6, 2022
Those who would like to attend the games in the tournament will need to be vaccinated. On top of that, no matter that they can show a proof of vaccination, they will also need to have a negative PCR test done within 72 hours of the match.
The current edition of the Africa Cup of Nations promises to be one of the most exciting ones in the history. This is mainly due to the increased overall interest from all over the world. On top of that, there are plenty of superstars that will be with their home-countries for the tournament. The big names including Salah, Mane, Aubameyang, Mahrez, Mendy, and Coulibaly are all available.
Pack your bags! 🎒
WE ARE HEADING TO CAMEROON! 🇨🇲#TotalEnergiesAFCON2021 pic.twitter.com/Zoxioidgow
— CAF (@CAF_Online) January 3, 2022
Senegal, Algeria, and Egypt are favorites to win this tournament. In 2019, Algeria defeated Senegal in the final, thus denying them clinch their maiden title. This was the second AFCON trophy for the Fennex Foxes after winning it for the first time back in 1990. The hosts from Cameroon have 5 titles, snatching the last one in 2017. They are not considered huge favorites, but are still put amongst Ivory Coast, Morocco, Nigeria, and Tunisia.
