Defender Eric Bailly and young midfielder Hannibal have been selected in the squads of Ivory Coast and Tunisia respectively.
The month-long jamboree of tournament football is being televised across the world and, like the Euros and Copa America last summer, is likely to attract plenty of attention.
So here’s all you need to know ahead of Sunday’s opening game…
HOST, DATES AND FORMAT
Originally scheduled to be played in Cameroon in the summer of 2021, the tournament has twice seen its dates altered. CAF, the governing body of African football, moved it forward to January/February 2021 due to the more favourable conditions on the continent at that time of year.