The Indomitable Lions will be trying to restore the old order after being pooled with World Cup debutants Togo and Angola.
Cameroon
Having missed out on qualification themselves for the first time in 20 years, they have some rebuilding to do under Portuguese coach Artur Jorge, but are good enough to win a third crown in four attempts. Still formidable on the big occasion, Cameroon will be looking to emerging talents such as goalkeeper Idriss Kameni (Espanyol), midfielder Jean II Makoun (Lille) and striker Achille Webo (Osasuna).
Verdict: Quarter-finals
Player to watch. . .
Samuel Eto'o's presence is a massive boost, to Cameroon and the tournament - even if he has to jet back to Barcelona between rounds.
Angola
The Palancas Negras were set to miss out on qualification altogether when they lost the first leg of their preliminary match 3-1 in Chad, but the subsequent appointment of Portuguese coach Luis Oliveira Goncalves led to a stunning change in fortune. They won the second leg 2-0, then against all odds finished above Nigeria to qualify for their first World Cup. Veteran midfielder Paulo Figueiredo adds experience, while a lot is expected of attacking duo Fabrice Akwa of Qatar SC and Benfica's Pedro Mantorras.
Verdict: Quarter-finals
Player to watch.. .
Powerful forward Akwa was the hero in qualifying. He scored against Chad and grabbed the only goal in the all-important win over Nigeria.
Togo
There will be plenty of interested observers at Togo's ties, including the coaches of France, Switzerland and South Korea who play the Hawks in Germany. Little is known about Stephen Keshi's team, made up mainly of players from the lower leagues in France, Austria and Switzerland. The ex-Nigeria captain has found gifted, hungry players and a "star" in Monaco striker Emmanuel Adebayor. A great work ethic ensured they conceded just eight goals in 10 qualifiers.
Verdict: Third in the group
Player to watch.. .
Still just 21, Adebayor has impressive speed and control for such a tall man. Scored 11 goals in qualifying, more than any other player.
DR Congo
Eliminated after three straight defeats two years ago, the Simbas could suffer a similar fate in Egypt. Their captain Lomana LuaLua blamed the poor showing in Tunisia on the Congolese FA's failure to pay the players bonuses they had been promised. They have seemingly not learned their lesson as another pay row threatens to escalate. On a brighter note, the two-time winners have been improving under Frenchman Claude Leroy and narrowly missed out on World Cup qualification.
Verdict: Fourth in the group
Player to watch.. .
Roma striker Shabani Nonda's absence means the emphasis will be on the enigmatic Portsmouth striker LuaLua to score the goals once more.
