The road to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is heating up, with 21 teams already securing their places for the tournament in Morocco. The tournament, set to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, promises to showcase the best football talent across the continent, with Morocco preparing to host the prestigious competition.
Confirmed Teams:
- Morocco
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Algeria
- DR Congo
- Senegal
- Egypt
- Angola
- Gabon
- Uganda
- South Africa
- Nigeria
- Benin Republic
- Comoros
- Sudan
- Equatorial Guinea
- Cote d’Ivoire
- Zimbabwe
- Mali
- Zambia
- Tunisia
Drama in Qualification:
The final spots are still up for grabs, with just three remaining places to be decided on Tuesday.
- Sudan: Despite ongoing conflict and playing their home games on neutral grounds, Sudan secured their place in AFCON after a crucial 0-0 draw against Angola. Their qualification was marked by resilience, given the challenging circumstances they’ve faced since the suspension of their domestic league due to the conflict.
- Benin Republic: The Benin team made a dramatic return to AFCON after a 0-0 draw against Libya. They secured qualification due to a superior head-to-head record against Rwanda, after the two teams finished level on points. This marks Benin’s first AFCON appearance since 2019.
- Niger: Despite an emotional 2-1 win over Ghana, Niger’s hopes were dashed as they failed to qualify by a single point, leaving them disappointed in the final group standings.
- Cote d’Ivoire (Current Champions): The defending champions, Cote d’Ivoire, secured a historic victory over Nigeria in the 2024 AFCON final. They will return to defend their title in 2025, though they’ll face stiff competition.
Remaining Qualification Battles:
- Group C: Botswana and Mauritania are battling for the second spot. Both teams will have their eyes firmly fixed on securing the points needed to make it to Morocco.
- Group H: Tanzania needs to secure a win over Guinea at home to surpass the West Africans and grab one of the remaining spots.
- Group I: Guinea-Bissau faces a must-win match against Mozambique. To qualify, they need to not only win but also ensure they have the edge in their head-to-head matchup against the Mambas.
As the qualification process nears its conclusion, all eyes will be on these final fixtures to determine which three teams will join the already-qualified nations in Morocco. The 2025 AFCON promises to be an exciting and highly competitive tournament, with some new faces joining the continental stage.
