By Ogova Ondego
Published January 17, 2015
International multimedia broadcaster, BBC, is set to broadcast the 30th Africa Cup of Nations (January 17-February 8, 2015) from Equatorial Guinea via radio, TV, online and mobile.
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The biennial AfCoN soccer tournament, bringing 16 teams together in four Guinean towns–Bata, Ebebiyin, Malabo and Mongomo–kicks off on January 17, 2015 with a match pitting hosts Equatorial Guinea against Congo-Brazzaville at the National Stadium; it is expected to be broadcast in English and French.
BBC World Service says it will bring commentary on key matches to listeners in Africa from the quarter final, semi-final and final stages in English, French (BBC Afrique), and Kiswahili (BBC Kiswahili).
Besides featuring “specially commissioned reports on key players, teams and matches,” BBC says mobile users around the world “will have the opportunity to get expert analysis via live text commentary for all of the key games.”
BBC sports journalists, according to bbc.co.uk, will be linking up with BBC World Service’s rebroadcasting partner stations across Africa to give expert analysis on the competition.
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Listeners across the world will have the opportunity to follow developments and analyses on all three editions of Focus on Africa radio at 15.00, 17.00 and 19.00 GMT. Match reports will also feature in various programmes across BBC Afrique, BBC Hausa, BBC Somali, BBC Gahuza (in Kinyarwanda/Kirundi) and BBC Kiswahili.
Besides Newsday on BBC World Service radio, Sportsworld, Sport Today and World Football and BBC Focus on Africa TV—available on BBC World News and broadcast by a range of TV stations across Africa—will report on every stage of what is becoming one of the premier tournaments in world football.
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BBC Kiswahili TV programme, Dira Ya Dunia, is expected to bring in-depth reporting from the competition as will newly launched BBC Afrique and BBC Hausa TV bulletins available via bbcafrique.com, bbchausa.com and rebroadcasting partner TV channels across Africa.
30th Afcon Teams Line Up
Group A
Burkina Faso, Congo-Brazzaville, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
Group B
Zambia, Congo-Kinshasa, Tunisia, Cape Verde
Group C
Senegal, South Africa, Ghana, Algeria
Group D
Ivory Coast, Guinea-Conakry, Mali, Cameroon