A football administrator, Ebere Amaraizu, says the Super Eagles displayed Nigerian fighting spirit in defeating the Pharaohs of Egypt at the ongoing 2021 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).

As the Super Eagles gear up for AFCON 2022, the official communications partner of the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF), MTN Nigeria, has restated its confidence in the ability of the team to go all the way and win the ultimate prize. The tournament commences on Sunday, January 9, 2022.

No fewer than 500 members of the Nigeria Football Supporters Club (NFSC) have stormed Garoua, Cameroon to cheer the Super Eagles to victory at the ongoing AFCON 2021.

The 33rd Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), originally scheduled to hold in June and July 2021, will be played in Cameroon between January 9 and February 6, 2022. This is all about the fixtures, dates and venues.

Cameroon, the hosts, will take on Burkina Faso in the opening fixture at the new 60,000-seat Olembe Stadium in Yaounde, while Algeria, who would be looking to retain their 2019 crown, must conquer Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, and Sierra Leone in group E.

The Augustine Eguavoen tutored Super Eagles side will also have Egypt and Sudan to subdue if they are keen to emulate the success of the 2013 winning team.

Here are the six groups, 24 participating sides, and group fixtures.

GROUPS

• Group A: Cameroon (hosts), Burkina Faso, Cape Verde Islands, Ethiopia
• Group B: Guinea, Malawi, Senegal, Zimbabwe
• Group C: Comoros Islands, Gabon, Ghana, Morocco
• Group D: Egypt, Guinea Bissau, Nigeria, Sudan
• Group E: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Ivory Coast, Sierra Leone
• Group F: Gambia, Mali, Mauritania, Tunisia

GROUP FIXTURES

January 9: Matchday 1 on Sunday

• 4pm: Cameroon v Burkina Faso
• 7pm: Ethiopia v Cape Verde

January 10: Matchday 2 on Monday

• 1pm: Senegal v Zimbabwe
• 4pm: Guinea v Malawi
• 4pm: Morocco v Ghana
• 7pm: Comoros v Gabon

January 11: Matchday 3 on Tuesday

• 1pm: Algeria v Sierra Leone
• 4pm: Nigeria v Egypt
• 7pm: Sudan v Guinea Bissau

January 12: Matchday 4 on Wednesday

• 1pm: Tunisia v Mali
• 4pm: Mauritania v Gambia
• 7pm: Equatorial Guinea v Ivory Coast

January 13: Matchday 5

• 4pm: Cameroon v Ethiopia
• 7pm: Cape Verde v Burkina Faso

January 14: Matchday 6

• 1pm: Senegal v Guinea
• 4pm: Malawi v Zimbabwe
• 4pm: Morocco v Comoros
• 7pm: Gabon v Ghana

January 15: Matchday 7

• 4pm: Nigeria v Sudan
• 7pm: Guinea Bissau v Egypt

January 16: Matchday 8

• 1pm: Gambia v Mali
• 4pm: Ivory Coast v Sierra Leone
• 4pm: Tunisia v Mauritania
• 7pm: Algeria v Equitoria Guinea

January 17: Matchday 9

• 4pm: Burkina Faso v Ethiopia
• 4pm: Cape Verde v Cameroon

January 18: Matchday 10

• 4pm: Malawi v Senegal
• 4pm: Zimbabwe v Guinea
• 7pm: Gabon v Morocco
• 7pm: Ghana v Comoros

January 19: Matchday 11

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• 7pm: Egypt v Sudan
• 7pm: Guinea Bissau v Nigeria

January 20: Matchday 12

• 4pm: Ivory Coast v Algeria
• 4pm: Sierra Leone v Equatorial Guinea
• 7pm: Gambia v Tunisia
• 7pm: Mali v Mauritania

ROUND OF 16

R16 Match 1: January 23

• 4pm: Runner-up Group A vs Runner-up Group C at Limbe Stadium, Limbe

R16 Match 2: January 23

• 7pm: Winner Group D vs  3rd Group B/E/F at Roumdé Adjia Stadium, Garoua

R16 Match 4: January 24

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• 4pm: Runner-up Group B vs Runner-up Group F at Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam

R16 Match 3: January 24

• 7pm: Winner Group A vs  3rd Group C/D/E at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé

R16 Match 5: January 25

• 4pm: Winner Group B vs  3rd Group A/C/D at Kouekong Stadium, Bafoussam

R16 Match 6: January 25

• 7pm: Winner Group C vs 3rd Group A/B/F at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé

R16 Match 7: January 26

• 4pm: Winner Group E vs  Runner-up Group D at Japoma Stadium, Douala

R16 Match 8: January 26

• 7pm: Winner Group F vs  Runner-up Group E at Limbe Stadium, Limbe

QUARTER-FINALS

Quarter-Final B: January 29

• 4pm: Winner R16-M4 vs  Winner R16-M3 at Japoma Stadium, Douala

Quarter-Final A: January 29

• 7pm: Winner R16-M1 vs Winner R16-M2 at Roumdé Adjia Stadium, Garoua

Quarter-Final C: January 30

• 4pm: Winner R16-M7 v Winner R16-M6 at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé

Quarter-Final D: January 30

• 7pm: Winner R16-M5  vs  Winner R16-M8 at Japoma Stadium, Douala

SEMI-FINAL

SF 1: February 2

• 7pm: Winner QF A  vs  Winner QF D at Japoma Stadium, Douala

SF 2: February 3

• 7pm: Winner QF B  vs  Winner QF C at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé

THIRD-PLACE MATCH

February 6

• 5pm: Loser SF1  vs  Loser SF2 at Ahmadou Ahidjo Stadium, Yaoundé

FINAL

February 6

• 7pm: Winner SF1 vs  Winner SF2 at Olembe Stadium, Yaoundé