Ghana, Cameroon headline AFCON

Cape Town - South Africa will go in search of their second AFCON crown but who will be their main rivals in Equatorial Guinea?

Bafana Bafana eliminated defending champions Nigeria while perennial tournament favourites Egypt also crashed out of the tournament after failing to see of Tunisia, Senegal and Botswana in qualifying.

Ghana and Cameroon will pose the biggest threat to Shakes Mashaba's side in Equatorial Guinea as both African giants go in search of their fifth AFCON title. 

South Africa will have to keep an eye on the likes of the ever-progressing Algeria, the unpredictable Zambian side while Mali, Senegal and Tunisia all boast several stars in their lineups. 

The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations takes place in Equatorial Guinea from January 17 to February 8.

Here is how the 16 AFCON 2015 qualifiers will head into the 2015 edition of AFCON:

Algeria

How they qualified: Group B winners     
Appearance at AFCON: 16th 
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result: Winners (1990)

Burkina Faso 

How they qualified: Group C runners-up
Appearance at AFCON: 10th 
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013 
Best result: Runners-up (2013)      

Cameroon     

How they qualified: Group D winners 
Appearance at AFCON: 17th
Last appearance at AFCON: 2010 
Best result: Winners (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002)             

Cape Verde   

How they qualified: Group F winners 
Appearance at AFCON: 2nd
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013    
Best result: Quarter-finals (2013)     

Congo 

How they qualified: Group A runners-up  
Appearance at AFCON: 7th   
Last appearance at AFCON: 2000   
Best result: Winners (1972)

DR Congo   

How they qualified: Best third placed team
Appearance at AFCON: 17th
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013 
Best result: Winners (1968, 1974)     

Equatorial Guinea     

How they qualified: Hosts 
Appearance at AFCON: 2nd
Last appearance at AFCON: 2012
Best result: Quarter-finals (2012)          

Gabon

How they qualified: Group C winners
Appearance at AFCON: 6th  
Last appearance at AFCON:  2012 
Best result: Quarter-finals (1996, 2012)   

Ghana 

How they qualified: Group E winners 
Appearance at AFCON: 20th 
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013
Best result:  Winners (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)               

Guinea 

How they qualified: Group E runners-up 
Appearance at AFCON: 11th  
Last appearance at AFCON: 2012
Best result: Runners-up (1976)                              

Ivory Coast  

How they qualified:  Group D runners-up 
Appearance at AFCON: 21st 
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013 
Best result: Winners (1992)   

Mali     

How they qualified: Group B runners-up   
Appearance at AFCON:  9th  
Last appearance at AFCON:   2013     
Best result:  Runners-up (1972)        

Senegal   

How they qualified:  Group G runners-up
Appearance at AFCON:  13th
Last appearance at AFCON: 2012    
Best result: Runners-up (2002)                

South Africa 

How they qualified: Group A winners
Appearance at AFCON: 9th 
Last appearance at AFCON:   2013  
Best result: Winners (1996)

Tunisia 

How they qualified: Group G winners  
Appearance at AFCON: 17th
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013 
Best result: Winners (2004)

Zambia    

How they qualified: Group F runners-up 
Appearance at AFCON: 17th 
Last appearance at AFCON: 2013  
Best result: Winners (2012)