It may come as a surprise to some people, but DR Congo are two-time winners of this competition. However, they have not lifted the trophy since 1974.
This time around they have a coach with a broad knowledge of the tournament in Claude Le Roy, who guided Cameroon to success in the 1988 version of Africa Cup of Nations.
The 64-year-old returned to DR Congo for a second stint in charge in 2011 and has been lauded for reversing the fortunes of the national team.
In qualifying they were particularly impressive, having defeated the Seychelles and Equatorial Guinea 7-0 and 6-2 on aggregate respectively.
Group: B
Players to watch out for:
Dieumerci Mbokani
The 27-year-old was signed by Anderlecht in 2011 to fill the void left by teenager Romelu Lukaku, who had opted to sign on at Chelsea. Having overcome the death of his five-month-old son, Mbokani has gone on to become a real hit with the Belgian side's faithful. So far this campaign he has found the net 15 times to add to the 14 that he scored last season. He was also in good form during qualifying, scoring two of the goals against Equatorial Guinea.
Youssouf Mulumbu
Having arrived in England with West Bromwich Albion in 2009 from Paris Saint-Germain, Mulumbu has earned a number of plaudits for his performances. Although not a prolific goalscorer, the 25-year-old offers a combative presence in the midfield which could prove crucial to his nation in the closing stages of matches.
Previous best: Winners 1968, 1974
Odds outright to win: 66/1
Sports Mole says: Group stages
Liam Apicella
