The first Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast in four decades will begin on Saturday. The hosts, without star forward Sebastien Haller, will take on Guinea-Bissau at the newly-built Ebimpe Olympic Stadium. Ivory Coast have been champions twice before, most recently in 2015, and are hoping to thrive under the pressure of playing at home. The competition will feature strong teams like Morocco, Egypt, and Senegal. The Ivorian coach, Jean-Louis Gasset, aims to turn the pressure into something positive for the players. The team is without a superstar like Didier Drogba and will also miss striker Haller due to injury. The tournament was delayed to its traditional January and February slot due to concerns over the rainy season. The main focus is to ensure that the competition unfolds without any issues. The Ivorian government has invested in infrastructure and security to avoid a repeat of past tragedies. Matches will be played in five different cities, with Nigeria, Egypt, and Ghana also beginning their campaigns on Sunday.