Everything is on course for the main draw of the Ghana 2008 Africa Cup of Nation, expected to roll out in the next twenty-four hours.
The event, one of the most significant in the organization of the 26th edition of the Africa ’s biggest showpiece event will be grace by the crème-de la – crème of football around the world.
Accra, the venue of the event has been impounded on officials of the sixteen qualified teams, who will represent their national associations at the two-hour ceremony.
The ceremony, which the Ghana Local Organising Committee (LOC) has promised to give it a Ghanaian touch, will nonetheless have some former African football stars in attendance.
Expectations are high and the LOC have assured attendants of lasting memories of the event in the quest to host the best African Cup of Nations ever.
On the draw itself, defending champions, Egypt leads the pack of qualified teams with a record 21st appearance in the 50-year history of the competition.
Big names such as four-time winners’, hosts Ghana and Cameroon; Cote d’Ivoire, Tunisia, Morocco, Nigeria, Zambia and South Africa also in attendance.
Notable absentees are former winners, the Desert Warriors of Algeria and the Simbas of DR Congo who fail to shine from their respective groups.
Benin’s Squirrels and the Eagles of Mali are staging comebacks after missing out on the last edition.
Of the qualified teams, West Africa leads pack with six teams namely Ghana (hosts), Nigeria, Benin, Mali, Senegal and Guinea with five-time winners, Egypt, Morocco, Tunisia and Sudan making up the Maghreb quartet.
The sixteen qualified teams for the competition are Ghana (hosts), Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, Mali, Guinea, Sudan, Tunisia, Morocco, Zambia, South Africa, Namibia, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Benin and Angola.
The event has been fixed for the Accra International Conference (AICC) on Friday, October 19, 2007.
Source: Cafonline
