South Africa are only ranked 61st in the world, but the 1996 winners are definitely a team moving in the right direction again. Coach Hugo Broos may not have many big names at his disposal, but this is a strong, united squad compromised mainly of players from domestic powerhouses Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, and Bafana Bafana booked their place at next summer's World Cup by finishing ahead of Nigeria in their qualifying group.
Of course, the Super Eagles then failed to progress to the inter-confederation play-offs - and in traumatising circumstances, with Eric Chelle's side losing a penalty shoot to DR Congo. On the plus side, a pre-tournament row over player bonuses appears to have been amicably resolved and few of Nigeria's rivals boast anything like the same strength-in-depth or attacking threat.
With the likes of Sebastien Haller, Amad Diallo, Wilfried Zaha and the tremendously talented teenager Yan Diomande to choose from, Ivory Coast are also going to be a tough team to contain in Morocco, and the Elephants will be very optimistic about their chances of retaining their title after qualifying for the World Cup without losing a single game.
Cameroon, though, are still in a state of shock after finishing second to little Cape Verde in their qualifying group, before then being upset by DR Congo in the play-offs. So, while The Indomitable Lions can call upon top-class players such as Manchester United's Bryan Mbeumo, it's difficult to know what to expect from the five-time champions of Africa - especially as they only made the last 16 at AFCON 2023.
Tunisia are another curious case. The Eagles of Carthage are set for a record-extending 17th consecutive appearance at the finals, but made an embarrassing first-round exit last time out and were runners-up to Comoros in qualifying. However, the north Africans also secured a spot at the World Cup without conceding a single goal and drew with Brazil last month, so, while they undeniably lack the attacking flair of some of their fellow contenders, they'll likely prove difficult to beat.