Sometimes I'm not surprised that online piracy is so rampant when it comes to soccer. Trying to find out who has the rights to a game or tournament is very difficult, and even when you find a stream, you're not sure whether it's an official one or not.

Take, for example, the African Nations Cup which kicks off in a few hours from Angola.

We get a lot of product emails here at The Offside & World Cup Blog global headquarters (located just left of sanity). Some are good, some are bad, most promise to love us long time. This one is, without a doubt, unique, simply because it isn't.

Puma has unveiled a universal third kit for African countries in 2010 in partnership with the United Nations good partner to have which will be worn by all African teams sponsored by, you guessed it, Puma.

Book Review: Feet of the Chameleon by Ian Hawkey
Every two years, managers from across the continent seem to join forces in their criticism of that which has become the most despised competition in European football: the African Cup of Nations. Being deprived of some of their best players for up to a month in the middle of the season can have a highly unnerving effect on managers, particularly if results start going against them during that period.

If it can be said that one of the principle aims of terrorism is to raise the profile of a specific cause, then through any means necessary, the actions of Chibandan seperatists yesterday could probably be said to be a success. Their ambush of a coach carrying the Togo national football team to the African Cup of Nations has sent shockwaves out through African football and on to the rest of the world.

The Desert Foxes began the Cup of African Nations in the worst possible fashion. A three to nill thrashing at the hands of Malawi squarely placed under fire Manager Rabah Saadane close to the sack. In the match Algeria, was terrible for the first forty minutes and then simply poor for the final fifty minutes.

Ivory Coast are favourites to start a momentous year for African football by lifting the Cup of Nations in Angola.

In 1957, at a time when FIFA still refused to let African teams participate in the World Cup, the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) - Africa's international football governing body set up the first ever African Cup of Nations. The competition was held in Sudan and involved just four participants - Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa and Sudan, later reduced to three as South Africa were disqualified for the government's apartheid politics.

So, if the only time you've ever come across this tournament is when certain Premiership managers whine about it, let me welcome to you to one of World Football's best kept secrets. Over the years, the African Cup Of Nations has grown and grown to be one of the most respected tournaments in World Football.

Sportswear manufacturer Puma continues its relationship with African soccer by launching the "World's First Continental Football Kit" in support of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Using a design seen in most of the Puma 2010 African kits, the Puma Africa Unity kit is "designed to be worn by the 12 African football national teams that [.

Party time - but Ivory Coast have something to prove
Group B
Burkina Faso - Côte d'Ivoire - Ghana - Togo
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso must be getting sick of the sight of Côte d'Ivoire. Despite an excellent run in World Cup 2010 qualifying it was always going to be difficult to sneak into their group's top spot for South Africa ahead of Didier Drogba and co.

The mighty Egypt - but all is not well with the champions...
Group C
Benin - Egypt - Mozambique - Nigeria
Benin
Ever since Benin qualified for the Under-20 World Cup back in 2005, the national team has been on a steady upward spiral. Back then The Squirrels were ranked 125th in the world and had only ever qualified for one African Cup of Nations in which they fell at the group stage.

The Cup of Nations all-time top scorer - but can Eto'o add more silverware to the collection in Angola?
With the African Cup of Nations 2010 now but a few days away we turn our attentions to the final group preview, Group D:
Group D
Cameroon - Gabon - Tunisia - Zambia
Cameroon
Alongside Cote d'Ivoire Cameroon probably have the most talented squad in Africa, yet until Paul Le Guen took over as coach in July 2009 the Indomitable Lions were in real jeopardy of missing out on World Cup 2010 altogether.

Following the ambush of the Togo national team bus on it's way to Cabinda for the African Cup of Nations 2010, I wrote a preliminary piece on Just Football with some of the main issues that needed addressing. Reports were hazy at the time and as the hours have passed further details are beginning to emerge.

Yesterday i had the rare opportunity to watch some of the biggest stars when it comes to African football. The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon were live in action against our very own Harambee Stars in a friendly played at the Moi International Sports Centre Kasarani. Well, we lost the match 3-1 but not without giving the visitors a run for their money.

There is of course a downside to the age of instant analysis, with blogs posting instant opinions about the political under-trappings of a football tournament held an ocean or a continent away, in a country very few knew much about geographically only a few days ago. I don't know how many times today I've read writers who in one sentence condemn the conflation of Angola and South Africa ahead of the 2010 World Cup, but in the next are content to speak about how Friday's attack on the Togolese football team bus in Cabinda has affected "African football's legacy" in "African football's biggest year.

There was really only one football story this weekend - the distressing attack on the Togo team by rebels in a disputed part of Angola. Nearly 72 hours have passed since the incident rocked African football. It took far less time for the world's press and the blogosphere to start weighing up the implications of the attack for the 2010 World Cup.

After the drama and tragedy of last week's gun attack on the Togo squad it was a welcome relief to concentrate on football matters when Mali entertained the hosts in the opening game of the African Cup of Nations this weekend.
But the sombre pre-match atmosphere and two minutes silence showed how much of a cloud will hang over this tournament, whose very existence is being questioned.

The terrorist attack on the Togo national football team that precluded this year's Africa Cup of Nations rocked the football world. Raising heightened concerns for the safety of players and supporters for the remaining fixtures in Angola, many participants and media outlets argued for the competition to be abandoned.

With the ACON in full swing we thought we'd put together our top 11 African players of all time. It's true to say that the days of Mwepu the Zaire right back clearing a Brazilian free kick in a 1974 World Cup are long gone.

2010 could in fact, be the first time we see an African winner of the World Cup.

Do FIFA and its international tournaments really make a difference for the countries that host them? Could they? Should they? And what responsibility must the host country take on? What if instead of leftover stadiums host nations received fully integrated, brand new transportation systems? Will that be what South Africa reaps beyond profits for those whose pockets are already full?

Peter Odemwingie (centre) - Nigeria's shining light (AFP)
Here is how the table looked after the completion of Group C:
As you can see the big boys made light work of this group, on paper at least, as holders Egypt and Nigeria careered past Benin and Mozambique on their way to the knockout stages.

Africa's top ranked team Cameroon were last night eliminated from the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations by defending champions Egypt. This rounds off a humiliating exit for another of the continent's giants. Cameroon's defeat proved that when it comes to African football, the Pharaoh are in a superior class.

Ghana 1-0 Nigeria
African Cup of Nations 2010 Semi Final
Goal: Asamoah Gyan 21'
This West African derby offered Nigeria a real chance to exact revenge for their 2-1 quarter final defeat against neighbours and rivals Ghana at AFCON 2008. But once again, the Super Eagles failed when it mattered.

By Ollie Irish

Even without talisman Michael Essien, Ghana were plenty good enough to squeak past Nigeria without having to play their best. A header by Asamoah Gyan in the 21st minute did the damage. In truth though, this was a dreadful semi final, desperately short of quality and ambition, and long on the sort of basic errors that typified African football for so long.

The African Cup of Nations is one of the best and most emotionally charged national team tournament in the footballing world. The controversial 2010 edition is down its last two teams as The Black Stars of Ghana will face 2-time defending champion, The Pharoahs of Egypt. Here is a preview of what will be a historic 2010 ACN Final.