How Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Egypt, Ghana & Senegal go perform for Groups A, B and C?

Di 2023 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) go kick off for Côte d'Ivoire for mid-January.

Dis na afta dem push di date back make e for no clash wit di rainy season for West Africa.

As Senegal dey look to defend dia title, di 24-team format mean say di top two from each group go progress to di knockout stages, as di four best third-placed sides go join dem.

Shocks bin dey for di last Nations Cup for Cameroon, as Comoros and The Gambia go through as four-time champions Ghana go house early, but wetin we fit expect from di 34th edition of di continental tournament?

BBC Sport Africa don follow players, African football legends and journalists tok to run di rule over Groups A, B and C.

Group A - Côte d'Ivoire, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea and Guinea-Bissau

Dem draw di hosts wit three-time winners Nigeria and Equatorial Guinea, wey pull off a couple of upsets to reach di quarter-finals last time out.

Guinea-Bissau, wey dey aim to progress from di group stage for di first time, round off a line-up wey former Côte d'Ivoire striker Didier Drogba expect to dey "very difficult".

"No such thing like generous draw dey because all di teams deserve to dey here and dem go fight," Drogba, wey score 65 goals for di Elephants, tok.

"Nigeria, wit Victor Osimhen plus all di players dem get, na big team. Make we no forget di oda two teams because dem always full of surprise.

"I think say our main asset go be to focus on our game, our team, our strengths and try to progress. E dey up to us to make di most of it, get behind our team and make sure di trophy stay for house."

Nigeria bin face criticism from supporters afta dem draw for dia two opening 2026 Fifa World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Zimbabwe for November, but Super Eagles midfielder Frank Onyeka tok say e dey important say fans get behind di side.

"I know say dem go dey frustrated but we still need dia support," di 25-year-old tok.

"We sabi wetin e take to win Afcon. Di draws we get for di last two games na something we need to learn from."

Di West Africans bin comot for di last 16 for Cameroon and Onyeka dey expect tough assignment in their Abidjan-based group.

"African teams no dey easy to play against," e add. "Na something we need to prepare ourselves [for], mentally and physically."

Group A fixtures

Group B - Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde and Mozambique

Egypt dey expect to travel far for West Africa afta dem lose two of di past three Afcon finals - against Cameroon (2017) and Senegal (2021) – afta wetin one Egyptian journalist Inas Mazhar describe as "distinguished technical performances".

"Mozambique suppose provide straightforward start given di difference in experience and history between di two teams, but di second game against Ghana go be di toughest and most crucial, where Egypt go fight to secure top spot," she add.

"Wit Cape Verde to follow, di Pharaohs' chances of topping di group dey strong and progress dey almost certain - yet if dem make am to di quarter-finals, di North Africans go clash wit stronger teams.

"Head coach Rui Vitoria neva face dis kain test since e assume di post for July 2022, wey fit be di biggest challenge for Egypt.

"Di Portuguese go face examination by fans and Egyptian football pundits, wey no go accept anything less dan making an appearance for di final."

Big expectations also be issue for Ghana, BBC Sport presenter and reporter George Addo Jr tok say fans dey "concerned" with di form of di Black Stars, wey neva reach di last eight of a Nations Cup since 2017.

"Ghana bin dey eliminated for di last 16 for 2019 and dem dey winless, dem fail to advance from di group stage for Cameroon," e add.

"Di challenges di team face bin dey evident in qualifying. Di side bin lack cohesion, di technical team bin look unsettled wit changes in selection, and fan apathy bin dey tell afta repeated poor performances.

"Di Black Stars bin struggle for di first half of all games wey Chris Hughton manage so far - wit just one of dia nine goals wey dem score under am come for di first 45 minutes."

After needing a last-minute winner to beat Madagascar for World Cup qualifying and den falling to a defeat for Comoros, Addo Jr think say "nothing dey guaranteed" for Ghana.

"Matches against Cape Verde and Mozambique don become a worry based on di performances against minnows lately," e tok.

"Qualifying for di quarter-finals go be a major success. While dat fit seem achievable, Hughton and im team must find consistent starting XI.

"Additionally, di Black Stars go need to keep key players fit to stand a chance."

Group B fixtures

Group C - Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea and The Gambia

Continental heavyweights Cameroon get five Nations Cup titles to dia name but dem get to settle for third place on home soil last time out.

Despite being drawn wit holders Senegal, anything short of success fit no go down well wiInth di domitable Lions supporters.

"We expect dem to bring home di trophy, especially because we win our first Afcon for Abidjan for 1984," Cameroonian football analyst Lawrence Nkede tok.

Yet performances during di 2021 finals draw mixed reactions. While pipo praise di team resilience, di disappointment bin full ground afta Egypt beat dem for semi-final on penalties.

Now observers worry ova coach Rigobert Song lack of settled starting XI.

"In di past ten games, we don get ten different line-ups. E dey very difficult to read di team and dia true capacity," Nkede add.

With goalkeeper Andre Onana enduring dips in form for Manchester United and doubts ova di fitness of forward Bryan Mbeumo, di Lions fit already dey wounded ahead of dia opener against Guinea.

Di Syli Nationale don reach di knockout stages on dia past three appearances while The Gambia return afta a surprise run to di quarter-finals on dia Afcon debut.

"Di Scorpions go be atneed to be dia very best to progress following poor performances and two defeats for World Cup qualifiers," journalist Momoudou Bah tok.

"Coach Tom Saintfiet team go dey pumped up to face Senegal for inside one derby for di opening fixture, as e go be di first time in over 15 years di two kontris don face each oda for senior level."

Gambian football dey progress, as di kontri feature for di Under-20 World Cup dis year for di first time in 16 years, but Saintfiet don face criticism over im playing philosophy.

"Di pragmatic approach, wey dey based on sitting deep to soak up pressure before hitting opponents on di break, na one of di team strengths since di Belgian take over for 2018," Bah add.

"But e need to deal wit backlash from expectant supporters wey want more expansive approach. Saintfiet don also face challenges for di build-up as some key players struggle in front of goal."

Group C fixtures