This time last year, Equatorial Guinea were not expecting to have much to do with the 2015 African Nations Cup.
The central African nation had not qualified for the tournament, and Morocco was all set to play host to the continent's 15 other qualifiers.
However, the effects of the Ebola crisis meant Morocco were reluctant to host it and as punishment the Confederation of African Football (CAF) kicked the North Africans out of the tournament and handed the hosting rights to Equatorial Guinea who had co-hosted with Gabon three years ago.
This weekend the first group games get underway with notable absences. Reigning champions Nigeria failed to qualify and seven-time champions Egypt sit out the continent's showpiece event for the third tournament in a row.
That being said, there are a number of noteworthy challengers left in a competition which has had plenty of surprises in recent years.
PIC: CAF_Online Twitter
Group A
This pool of teams seems quite evenly matched at first glance. The 2013 runners-up, Burkina Faso, came agonisingly close to qualifying for the World Cup for the first time and still have Belgian manager Paul Put in charge.
The Stallions can call on talented forwards like Alain Traoré, Jonathan Pitroipa (top-scorer in qualifying with six) and Aristide Bancé, who has since swapped the Bundesliga for Finland.
Congo managed to qualify despite finding themselves in a group with South Africa and Nigeria. A win over Sudan in the final round of qualification, coupled with Nigeria's draw at home to South Africa, helped Claude Le Roy's team through.
However, they were lucky to even get that far. In the previous round of qualifying, the central Africans lost on penalties to Rwanda after two legs, only to advance because their opponents were disqualified for fielding an ineligible player.
They were hardly firing in the goals during the final round of qualifying with only six registered in as many games, but they can count on the experience of Le Roy. The Frenchman is managing at the Cup of Nations for the eighth time, and led Cameroon to glory in 1988.
Having also been thrown out of the qualification process for fielding an ineligible player, Equatorial Guinea can count themselves fortunate to have attained hosting rights to make only their second appearance at this level. In 2012, they reached the quarter-finals on home soil. Their squad includes many players who have featured in the lower levels of Spanish football.
Their 2012 co-hosts Gabon topped their qualifying group and although their pedigree at this level is limited, they do have Borussia Dortmund's pacy forward Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang for goals.
Malabo Stadium, named after Equatorial Guinea's capital
Group B
For an island nation of about half-a-million people, Cape Verde have started to make a habit of mixing it with Africa's big boys.
The former Portuguese colony made its first Cup of Nations appearance in 2013, reaching the quarter-finals, and made it this year by topping a group featuring 2012 champions Zambia, Mozambique, and Niger.
They are reunited with Zambia in Group B and judging from qualification where they managed to beat each other narrowly at home, the game between the two will be tight.
Zambia failed to advance from their group in 2013 and will hope to reach the knockout stages.
Tunisia will be a tough opponent, however. They were unbeaten in qualifying and call upon a squad with a mix of European and domestic experience.
The North Africans' recent form is also excellent, losing just once in 10 games.
In contrast, the Democratic Republic of Congo scraped through to the final tournament as the best third-placed team in the qualifying groups.
However, they can call upon European-based talent like captain Youssouf Mulumbu of West Brom, defender Chancel Mbemba (Anderlecht), Crystal Palace winger Yannick Bolasie and Dynamo Kyiv striker Dieumerci Mbokani.
Group C
With the way the draw panned out, the highest-profile teams ended up in the final two groups. For many Group C is the proverbial 'group of death' because it contains an Algeria side that did well at the World Cup, a South Africa team that is bouncing back, a Senegal team packed with talented names, and a Ghana side that regularly reaches the latter stages.
Many commentators are backing Algeria as favourites. Within living memory, they gave world champions Germany an almighty scare in Brazil at the knockout stage. They also have key players like Yacine Brahimi, who has been starring for FC Porto in the Champions League, Valencia attacking midfielder Sofiane Feghouli, and Sporting Lisbon attacker Islam Slimani, just to name a few.
Yacine Brahimi
The squad includes players based in La Liga, the Premier League, Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and Serie A, so it doesn't want for elite experience.
Senegal did not qualify for the last Cup of Nations but their big names are all recognisable to us. Former Chelsea and Newcastle forward Demba Ba has been left out, but the Magpies' Papiss Cisse, Stoke's Mame Biram Diouf and Southampton's Sadio Mané provide a potent goal threat - albeit the latter might not even play.
South Africa also seem to be rising from the doldrums again, having qualified impressively. However, it is unclear what effect the tragic death of goalkeeper and captain Senzo Meyiwa will have on the Bafana Bafana.
All but five of the 23-man squad are based in South Africa and only a few players have more than 20 caps.
Ghana, meanwhile, had a traumatic World Cup, which featured fallouts over money and the banishment of midfield stars Kevin-Prince Boateng (Schalke) and Sulley Muntari (Milan).
Neither are involved this time but there is still major tournament experience in vice-captain Andre Ayew and striker Asamoah Gyan. They will be needed to guide a young squad managed by former Chelsea boss Avram Grant, who was parachuted into the job (not in a literal sense of course) in November.
Group D
The final group is also a tough one. An Ivory Coast side which perennially flatters to deceive will hope to finally go all the way. There is no Didier Drogba, but there is more than enough talent in Yaya Toure, Wilfried Bony, Gervinho and Paris Saint-Germain full-back Serge Aurier to not only win the group, but to go all the way.
Their head coach Herve Renard is someone who knows all about winning the Cup of Nations, having led Zambia to glory three years ago. However, whether he can achieve the same thing with higher-profile players is another matter.
Yaya Toure
Group rivals - and the continent's most iconic football nation - Cameroon did thrash the Elephants 4-1 at home on the way to topping the group in style. And they seem to have benefited from drop-kicking record goalscorer Samuel Eto'o and Alex Song (who let himself and his country down badly at the World Cup) out of the squad.
In come, Porto's Vincent Aboubakar, who notched four goals in qualifying, and Lyon youngster Clinton N'Jie.
Sevilla's Stephane M'Bia captains the side, while Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting of Schalke and Marseille's Nicolas N'Koulou bring some top-level European quality to the party.
Mali have an excellent recent track record, getting the bronze medal in 2012 and 2013, while Roma's experienced midfielder Seydou Keita is the indisputable star man.
Fellow West Africans Guinea also have a decent Cup of Nations record and qualified despite playing home games in Morocco due to fears over Ebola. But they face a tough test to avoid propping up this group.
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