The time is upon us once again. One of the world’s most important international tournaments is about to begin, with the 34th edition of AFCON being contested by 24 teams in Ivory Coast.

In this week's TFOF episode, the VERSUS team explains why this tournament is so special, the importance of diaspora stories that come from it, and why negative perceptions of AFCON in Europe need to be changed.

We also discuss our favourite moments, key narratives that will play out during the tournament and of course, who we believe will be triumphant come the beginning of February.

‘The Future of Football’ is a podcast from VERSUS bringing you closer to the people, the stories and the ideas shaping the future of the game.

Mayowa Quadri (@mayowaquadri_)

Ahmed Shooble (@AhmedShooble)