AFCON 2015 Qualifying Groups Confirmed as Final Round Concludes
The final line-up for the group stage of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been confirmed following the completion of the last round of preliminary qualifiers over the weekend. The road to Morocco will now continue with a series of highly anticipated group-stage clashes set to take place from September to November.
Defending champions Nigeria headline Group A, where they are expected to battle it out with South Africa for one of the two automatic qualification spots, while Sudan and Rwanda complete the group.
Group B will feature a heavyweight duel between Mali and Algeria, with Ethiopia and Malawi looking to challenge the top two.
Group C promises a tightly contested race, as Burkina Faso, Angola, and Gabon are joined by surprise qualifiers Lesotho.
Two African football powerhouses, Cameroon and Ivory Coast, will lock horns in Group D, where they will face competition from DR Congo and Sierra Leone.
In Group E, regional rivals Ghana and Togo are joined by Guinea and Uganda, while Group F sees 2012 champions Zambia pitted against the rising force of Cape Verde, along with Niger and Mozambique.
Arguably the toughest draw lies in Group G, where Tunisia, Egypt, and Senegal—all former continental champions—will vie for two spots, with Botswana looking to play spoiler.
CAF has also confirmed the group-stage schedule, which includes six matchdays over a condensed three-month period. With FIFA and UEFA’s backing, CAF secured an extended international window—10 days instead of the usual 9—to accommodate logistical challenges during double-header fixtures.
Full Group Line-up:
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Group A: Nigeria, South Africa, Sudan, Rwanda
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Group B: Mali, Algeria, Ethiopia, Malawi
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Group C: Burkina Faso, Angola, Gabon, Lesotho
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Group D: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, DR Congo, Sierra Leone
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Group E: Ghana, Togo, Guinea, Uganda
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Group F: Zambia, Cape Verde, Niger, Mozambique
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Group G: Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal, Botswana
The top two teams from each group, along with the best third-placed team across all groups, will qualify for the 16-team final tournament in Morocco.
Matchday Schedule:
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Matchday 1: 5–6 September 2014
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Matchday 2: 10 September 2014
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Matchday 3: 10–11 October 2014
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Matchday 4: 15 October 2014
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Matchday 5: 14–15 November 2014
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Matchday 6: 19 November 2014
The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations final tournament is scheduled to take place in Morocco from 17 January to 8 February 2015.
