Favourable draw for Algeria as Morocco and Tunisia face stiff tests in 2025 Arab Cup

Holders Algeria have been handed a relatively straightforward path to the knockout stages of the 2025 FIFA Arab Cup, while Morocco and Tunisia are set for more challenging assignments following Sunday’s official tournament draw in Doha.

The competition, scheduled to take place from 1 to 18 December in Qatar, will feature 16 nations, including a number of sides that made headlines at recent global and continental tournaments.

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— Équipe d’Algérie de football (@LesVerts) May 25, 2025

Algerian football legend Rabah Madjer and former Egypt captain Wael Gomaa presided over the draw ceremony, which saw defending champions Algeria placed in Group D.

The Fennecs, led by Madjid Bougherra, will face Iraq and two teams emerging from November’s qualifying round in Qatar — the winners of Bahrain vs Djibouti and Lebanon vs Sudan.

Algeria A’ defeated both Djibouti and Sudan en route to lifting the inaugural title in 2021.

قرعة كأس العرب — قطر 2025 : المغرب في المجموعة الثانية إلى جانب كل من السعودية، المتأهل من عمان ضد الصومال و اليمن ضد جرز القمر

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— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) May 25, 2025

Morocco, fielding their home-based national team, have been drawn into a competitive Group B alongside 2022 World Cup shock winners Saudi Arabia.

The Saudis famously defeated eventual world champions Argentina in the group stage of the tournament in Qatar and could be guided by Hervé Renard, a former Morocco manager currently in charge of the senior national team.

The rest of Group B will be filled by the victors of the Oman vs Somalia and Yemen vs Comoros ties.

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— Qatar Football Association (@QFA_EN) May 25, 2025

Should the Comoros qualify, they would face Morocco twice within a month, with the two sides also scheduled to clash in the opening match of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on 21 December — although both teams are expected to field largely different squads for each competition.

Group A pairs tournament hosts Qatar with Tunisia, the 2021 runners-up.

They may be joined by Libya or Palestine, and either Syria or South Sudan depending on the outcome of the preliminary qualifiers.

Meanwhile, Group C sees Egypt drawn alongside Jordan — runners-up in the most recent Asian Cup — as well as the United Arab Emirates.

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The final place in the group will go to either Kuwait or Mauritania.

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— FFRIM (@ffrim) May 25, 2025

Full group stage draw:

Group A:

• Qatar
• Tunisia
• Syria or South Sudan
• Palestine or Libya

Group B:

• Morocco
• Saudi Arabia
• Oman or Somalia
• Yemen or Comoros

Group C:

• Egypt
• Jordan
• United Arab Emirates
• Kuwait or Mauritania

Group D:

• Algeria
• Iraq
• Bahrain or Djibouti
• Lebanon or Sudan

The qualifying round, set for 25–26 November, will feature the seven lowest-ranked African teams matched against the seven lowest-ranked sides from Asia in one-off playoff matches.