The year 2024 is finally here.
Sports fans are in for a treat as several international football tournaments, and the Summer Olympics will take place this year.
Here are the sporting events that fans should watch out for in 2024.
African Cup of Nations
After a long delay, the 34th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) is finally upon us.
Ivory Coast was supposed to host this tournament in 2023, but they requested to move it to 2024 to avoid the tropical rain season in the West and Central African regions.
The moment African fans have been waiting for will soon arrive, with the 2023 AFCON set to take place from January 13 to February 11, 2024, in cities across the Ivory Coast.
A total of 24 teams will compete in the showpiece event, with the participating African nations being divided into six groups of four.
Group A will feature hosts Ivory Coast, Nigeria, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau, per Sports Illustrated.
Group B consists of Egypt, Ghana, Cape Verde, and Mozambique.
Senegal, Cameroon, Guinea, and Gambia will lock horns in Group C, while Algeria, Burkina Faso, Mauritania, and Angola will square off in Group D.
Group E will feature Tunisia, Mali, South Africa, and Namibia, while Morocco, DR Congo, Zambia, and Tanzania will battle it out in Group F.
AFC Asian Cup
Asia's biggest international football tournament will also take place in the opening month of the year.
Qatar was supposed to host the Asian Cup in 2023, but the event was moved to 2024 due to the high temperatures during the summer and their participation in the CONCACAF Gold Cup last year.
The long wait is finally over for football fans in the continent, with the 2023 AFC Asian Cup set to take place from January 12 to February 10, 2024, in cities across Qatar.
A total of 24 teams will compete in the prestigious event, with the participating nations being divided into six groups of four.
Group A consists of hosts Qatar, China, Tajikistan, and Lebanon, per Goal.com.
Group B will feature Australia, Uzbekistan, Syria, and India.
Iran, United Arab Emirates, Hong Kong, and Palestine will square off in Group C, while Japan, Indonesia, Iraq, and Vietnam will lock horns in Group D.
Group E will feature South Korea, Malaysia, Jordan, and Bahrain, while Saudi Arabia, Kyrgyzstan, and Oman will battle it out in Group F.
Copa America
South America's biggest international football tournament will also take place this year, with the United States playing host to the Copa America from June 20 to July 14, 2024.
A total of 16 teams will compete in the showpiece event, with the participating nations being divided into four groups of four.
Group A will feature defending champions Argentina, Peru, Chile, and the winner of the CONCACAF play-off between Canada and Trinidad and Tobago.
Group B consists of Mexico, Ecuador, Venezuela, and Jamaica.
The United States, Uruguay, Panama, and Bolivia will battle it out in Group C.
Group D will feature Brazil, Colombia, Paraguay, and the winner of the CONCACAF play-off between Costa Rica and Honduras.
Euro 2024
The UEFA European Football Championship will also occur this year, with Germany playing host to the prestigious event from June 14 to July 14, 2024.
A total of 24 teams will compete in the showpiece event, with the participating European nations being divided into six groups of four.
Group A will feature hosts Germany, Scotland, Hungary, and Switzerland.
Group B consists of Spain, Croatia, Italy, and Albania.
Slovenia, Denmark, Serbia, and England will lock horns in Group C, while the Netherlands, Austria, France, and Play-off winner A will square off in Group D.
Group E will feature Belgium, Slovakia, Romania, and Play-off winner B, while Turkey, Portugal, Czechia, and Play-off winner C will battle it out in Group F.
Paris Olympics
The 33rd edition of the Summer Olympics will also take place in 2024, with Paris, France, playing host to the biggest sporting event of the year from July 26 to August 11.
This will be the sixth Olympiad hosted by France (three in summer and three in winter).
Around 10,500 athletes from across the globe will compete in this year's Summer Games, which will feature 32 sports with a total of 329 events.
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