Johannesburg, South Africa – The Confederation of African Football (CAF) conducted the draw for the qualifiers of the 35th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Thursday. The event, which set the stage for 48 African countries vying for a spot in the biennial competition, was overseen by Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire Coach Emerse Fae and Moroccan legend Marouane Chamakh.
As the tournament hosts, Morocco automatically qualify for the 2025 AFCON. However, they were still placed in Group B alongside Gabon, the Central African Republic, and Lesotho. This positioning allows the Atlas Lions to approach the qualifiers with less pressure.
Reigning champions Cote d’Ivoire were drawn into Group G, where they will face off against 2012 champions Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad. The upcoming qualifiers promise to deliver exciting matches as teams across the continent compete for a chance to play in Morocco in 2025.
The draw results in full:
Group A: Tunisia, Madagascar, Comoros, The Gambia
Group B: Morocco, Gabon, Central African 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: Côte 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
All first and runners-up in 11 groups will gain qualification to the competition, except in Group B where Morocco and other country who finished above the rest also seal their tickets. The qualifiers will commence in September 2024 and end in November 2024.
Hosting the competition from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, will mark the second time Morocco would host the AFCON in history. The first was staged in 1988.
