The highly-anticipated draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers was held on Thursday in Johannesburg, with 48 countries vying for a spot in the 35th edition of the biennial tournament.
The reigning champions, Cote d’Ivoire, led by coach Emerse Fae, will face tough competition in Group G from former champions Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad.
Meanwhile, hosts Morocco will have a relatively easier path to the tournament as they were placed in Group B alongside Gabon, Central African Republic, and Lesotho.
The Atlas Lions will enter the qualifiers with less pressure, knowing they are already guaranteed a spot in the competition.
The journey to Africa’s most coveted trophy will begin in September 2024 and end in November of the same year, with the start of the qualifiers for the AFCON.
The top two teams from each of the eleven groups, excluding Morocco, will earn their place in the tournament.
Mark your calendars for 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, as Africa prepares for another exhilarating championship.
The Groups:
Group A: Tunisia, Madagascar, Comoros, Gambia
Group B: Morocco, Gabon,Central Africa Republic, Lesotho
Group C: Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Botswana
Group D: Nigeria, Benin Libya, Rwanda
Group E: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Liberia
Group F: Ghana, Angola, Sudan, Niger
Group G: Cote d’Ivoire, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Chad
Group H: DR Congo, Guinea, Tanzania, Ethiopia
Group I: Mali, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Eswatini
Group J: Cameroon, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe
Group K: South Africa, Uganda, Congo, South Sudan
Group L: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Burundi
