The host nation will take on Guinea-Bissau in a clash that promises to set the tone for the rest of the competition.

Other countries to watch include title holders Senegal, 2022 finalists Egypt, Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Morocco who reached the semifinal of the FIFA World Cup two years ago.

But some are weary of spoilers like Zambia who defeated Ivory Coast in 2012 and South Africa who last won it in 1996.

Ivory Coast is also using this sporting event for social development, having spent over a billion dollars on stadia and other infrastructure.

But many street vendors in the capital Yamoussoukro are fuming after the authorities moved them from areas closer to the stadium, to make way for the visitors.

This is the reason some locals say that this event is excluding the poor.