Africa Cup of Nations: Essential pre-kickoff insights you need to know

Things to know about the Africa Cup of Nations before the 2024 tournament kicks off on Saturday with a Group A clash between hosts Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau (22:00 SA time).

- Ivory Coast are staging the biggest African sport event a second time with Cameroon winning there in 1984. Nigeria finished second and Algeria third.

- The 1984 edition comprised eight countries and lasted 15 days -- 40 years later the number of participants has trebled to 24.

- Ivory Coast flopped when they first hosted the tournament with a victory over Togo followed by losses to Egypt and Cameroon and elimination after the group stage.

- The 2024 tournament will comprise 52 matches over 30 days -- 36 across six groups and 16 in the knockout phase.

- Commercial capital Abidjan will host 20 matches in two stadiums, Bouake nine, San Pedro and Yamoussoukro eight each and Korhogo seven

- The opening match between Ivory Coast and Guinea-Bissau and the February 11 final are among 10 fixtures set for the new 60,000-seat Alhassane Ouattara stadium in Abidjan.

 - Stadiums with 20,000 capacities were built in Korhogo, San Pedro and the capital, Yamoussoukro, for the Cup of Nations.

- The 40-000-seat ground in Bouake and the second in Abidjan, the 30,000-capacity Felix Houphouet-Boigny stadium, were renovated for the biennial tournament.

- Should teams finish level on points in a mini-league, head-to-head records will be the first tie-breaker, followed by goal difference then goals scored in all group matches.

- If teams are still inseparable, lots will be drawn to determine final placings. This last occurred in 2015 with Guinea advancing to the quarter-finals at the expense of Mali.

- VAR will be used in all 52 matches with 12 officials selected to monitor