Accra, Dec 28 (IANS): The head coach of Ghana's senior national football side, Black Stars, Avram Grant has picked Spanish city of Seville as venue for the team's pre-Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) camp.

The decision comes after days of intense discussions with the Football Association, who preferred Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) instead of Spain, as the base for the team to limber-up ahead of the 2015 tournament in Equatorial Guinea, reports Xinhua.

Twenty-six players are expected to open camp in Spain from Jan 3 and would spend 10 days in Seville before flying out to Mongomo, which will be the base for the three-week championship.

The Ghanaian side is expected to play a few preparatory games before the tournament, which will give Grant a fair idea of his team and pick his final 23-man squad for the championship.

Grant's troops are billed to assemble for a non-residential camping here before the Spain trip.

Ghana will play in Group C of next year's tournament alongside Senegal, South Africa and Africa-best ranked side and tournament favourites Algeria.

The Black Stars will open their campaign against Senegal before matches against South Africa and Algeria.

The tournament kicks off Jan 17 and ends Feb 8.