Libya’s head coach, Aliou Cissé, has outlined his leading contenders for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which begins next month in Morocco.
Cissé knows the terrain better than most. He steered Senegal to their historic first continental crown in 2021 and reached the final two years earlier.
Now in charge of Libya, he believes the hosts will be among the strongest challengers when the tournament starts.
“The Moroccan national team is a contender, and Senegal is also a contender, of course, and there are other teams such as Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria,” Cisse told WinWin.
He added that the tournament’s unpredictability remains its defining feature: “In the Africa Cup of Nations, you can’t predict who will win the title.
“You can predict who will win the World Cup, but with regard to the Africa Cup of Nations, it is very complicated, and surprises are always present.”
Libya failed to qualify for the 2025 edition, but Cissé is already shifting focus to the next cycle.
“Our next goal is to qualify for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations.
“We are on the right track. We regret not continuing in the Arab Cup, because such matches allow us to compete at a high level,” he explained.
The 2025 AFCON will run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
