Equatorial Guinea and Congo get ball rolling

Africa Cup of Nations preview

Having suffered no reported cases of the disease, the Central African country stepped in to stage the event in November after original hosts Morocco’s pleas to postpone the competition fell on deaf ears.

But concerns linger over the tiny nation’s ability to stage a tournament of this size on its own, with its remote stadia and limited hotel accommodation. When Equatorial Guinea co-hosted the 2012 competition with Gabon, one match attracted just 200 supporters. The tournament’s cachet was hit too when holders Nigeria and seven-times-champs Egypt missed out on qualification.