Teams have begun arriving in Morocco for the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), which kicks off this weekend. The hosts are set to face Comoros in the tournament’s highly anticipated opening match. Twenty-four nations, divided into six groups, will compete for Africa’s most prestigious sporting title in what promises to be a month of thrilling football.

The group stages have already set the stage for intense rivalries:

Group F: Defending champions Côte d’Ivoire are joined by continental heavyweight Cameroon.

Group B: Egypt is slated to face 1996 winners South Africa.

Group C: The Super Eagles of Nigeria are drawn alongside Tunisia and Uganda.

Meanwhile, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that hip-hop star French Montana and Nigerian Afrobeats icon Davido will lead an international lineup of artists for the opening concert on Saturday, December 20.

"Fans in Rabat and across Africa are eagerly counting down to a night where football and music unite on a grand stage," CAF said in a statement.