Hosts Egypt should face no difficulty booking a place in the African Nations Cup on home soil in the summer after getting a favourable draw in Cairo on Friday. In a glamorous ceremony at the breathtaking Pyramids, the Pharaohs were drawn with DR Congo, Uganda and Zimbabwe in Group A of the expanded 24-team tournament, which kicks off on 21 June. The trio are familiar opponents for a dominant Egypt side who hold the record of most Nations Cup triumphs with seven titles under their belt. Egypt won the title the last time the country hosted the biennial tournament in 2006, crushing DR Congo 4-1 in the quarter-finals after producing a vivid attacking display. That triumph marked the start of the team's most successful reign, with Egypt going on to defend their title in 2008 and 2010 and become the first ever side to win a straight hat-trick of trophies. But a dramatic decline saw Egypt fail to reach the next three editions, having suffered the adverse effects of political turmoil at home. However, they embarked on a successful rebuilding process that took them to the final of the 2017 edition in Gabon, where they lost to champions Cameroon after surrendering their lead. With the top two and the best four third-placed sides advancing to the knockout phase in the Nations Cup's revamped format, Egypt's progress should be a mere formality. They played Uganda twice in their successful qualifying bid for the 2018 World Cup, losing 1-0 on the road before recovering with a 1-0 victory at home, thanks to a first-half strike from Liverpool forward Mohamed Salah. Egypt also took on Zimbabwe in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers, claiming the double over them with 2-1 and 4-2 victories. More to follow.