The African continent will be at a standstill in 30 days time with some intriguing performances expected from some high profile players in Africa.

African stars from across all parts of the world - Europe, Asia, America, will all be making a return to the continent to help their countries fight for the bragging rights and supremacy in African football.

Surprisingly, there are two debutants for the continental showpiece next year. The Coelacanths of Comoros and the Scorpions of Gambia will be making their maiden appearance at the AFCON.

South Africa, DR Congo, Uganda and 2012 winners Zambia are some of the heavyweights who will not be at the biggest football festival on the continent.

The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations, being held in Cameroon will be the 33rd edition since it’s inception in 1957.

Also for the first time since 1972, the tournament will be held on the home soil of some of Africa’s finest past players.

Roger Milla, Samuel Eto’o and Rigobert Song all donned the national team of the Indomitable Lions in the past and will be glad to have the return of the tournament on their soil.

There were fears along the course of the year that Cameroon were not ready for the tournament and there was a possibility of moving it to another country due to some facilities not being ready.

However, all is set for the AFCON and the event will be held in the Central African country.

The competition will be played in five cities in Cameroon - Olembe and Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium in Yaounde, the Japoma stadium in Douala, the Roumde Adija stadium in Garoua, the Limbe Omnisports stadium and the Kouekong stadium in Bafoussam will be the venues for the tournament.

The Black Stars of Ghana will be based in Yaounde, where they will use the Olembe and Ahmadou Ahidjo stadium.

Ghana go into the tournament hoping to win their fifth AFCON trophy and their first since 1982, and that would mean Milovan Rajevac’s side puts in more efforts to return to Yaounde for the finals.

For football fans, it will be the opportunity of watching top talents such as Thomas Partey, Sadio Mane, Mohammed Salah, Riyad Mahrez and Edouardo Mendy all in action for their respective countries while also keeping an eye on young, emerging talents.

On the other side, some big name players are expected to miss out on the tournament just as has been the case in some years that have gone by.

Ghana’s Kudus Mohammed and Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen are huge doubts for the competition which gets underway next month.

With the AFCON taking place in a World Cup year, the 10 teams who have qualified for the World Cup play off on the African continent will hope to use the event in Cameroon as a rehearsal to churning out an impressive display in the play off as well as the main tournament in Qatar.

The qualified teams for the play off are: Morocco, Tunisia, Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria, Ghana, Mali, Cameroon and DR Congo.

The competition will be competed for by 24 countries, only the second time since the introduction of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Media networks with journalists from 59 countries are also in contention to give coverage to next year’s tournament as well.

The excitement and the expectations of the AFCON has never been in doubt considering broadcasters from all parts of the world securing rights for the event.

With regards to Covid-19, the Local Organising Committee of the AFCON are expected to request for a special dispensation to get fans to the stadia with covid protocols being observed.

But they would first need clearance from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and the government of Cameroon.

The last time the AFCON took place was in Egypt, in 2019 - where 102 goals were recorded after 52 games played throughout the tournament.

Next year’s competition will kick off from January 9 until February 6, 2022.

With just over a month left to go, the countdown is on now and football lovers are definitely looking forward to some impressive continental football in Cameroon.