Here are five things you need to know the 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.
1. Duration and the host country
The 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations is a continental football event which would be hosted in two major cities in the Niger Republic.
The tournament is scheduled to hold from Saturday, February 2 till Sunday, February 11 across Niger cities Maradi and Niamey.
2. Participating teams
Seven teams and the host country qualified to take part at 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations.
Participating countries are hosts Niger Republic making their first appearance.
Others are Burkina Faso fourth place in 2003, Burundi runners-up in 1995, Ghana champions in 1993, 1999, 2009.
Others are Mali third place in 2003, Nigeria winners in 2005, 2011, 2015, South Africa runners-up in 1997 and Senegal runners-up in 2015, 2017.
3. Group stage
The 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations will have a total of 16 matches played at the Stade Général Seyni Kountché, Niamey and Stade de Maradi, Maradi.
There are eight teams split into two groups of four countries each with hosts Niger Republic and reigning champions Senegal.
Winners of each group will be pair against the runners-up up in the semi-finals.
Winners in the semi-final will progress to the final, will losers will contest for third place.
Groups
A - Niger Republic, Nigeria, South Africa, and Burundi
B - Senegal, Burkina Faso, Mali and Ghana
Matches
Group A
2 February 2019
Niger v South Africa
Nigeria v Burundi
5 February 2019
South Africa v Nigeria
Burundi v Niger
8 February 2019
Niger v Nigeria
South Africa v Burundi
Group B
3 February 2019
Senegal v Mali
Burkina Faso v Ghana
6 February 2019
Mali v Burkina Faso
Ghana v Senegal
9 February 2019
Senegal v Burkina Faso
Mali v Ghana
Semi-finals
13 February 2019
Winner Group A SF1 Runner-up Group B
Winner Group B SF2 Runner-up Group A
Third place match
16 February 2019
Loser SF1 v Loser SF2
Final
17 February 2019 Winner SF1 v Winner SF2
4. World Cup
The 2019 Africa U-20 Cup of Nations will serve as a qualifying route to the 2019 FIFA U-20 World Cup for African teams.
The eight African countries at the tournament all have a chance of progressing to the competition scheduled to hold in Poland from Thursday, May 23 till Saturday, June 15.
Four countries from Africa will represent the continent on the world stage, winners, runners-up, third and fourth place play-off countries.
5. Past winners
This is the 15th edition of the Africa U-20 Cup of Nations but the 22nd since the tournament started for U-21 teams.
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria are the country with the most titles with seven, Egypt with four, Ghana with three and Cameroon, Zambia, Algeria, Morocco and Angola with one title each.