The stage is set for the 2025 TotalEnergies African Cup of Nations tournament, with the draw scheduled to take place today at 6 pm GMT in Rabat, Morocco. The draw will see 24 countries grouped into six groups, with each group consisting of four teams.
Tournament Details
This year’s AFCON is scheduled to kick off on December 21, 2025, and conclude on January 18, 2026. The tournament promises to be an exciting one, with some of Africa’s top teams vying for the coveted title.
The Pots
The teams have been divided into four pots, with each group set to have a team from each pot. Pot 1 is comprised of the elite teams, including host nation Morocco, 2021 champions Senegal, 2019 champions Algeria, three-time AFCON champions Nigeria, Africa’s most successful team Egypt, and defending champions Ivory Coast.
Pot 2 features an impressive lineup, including Mali, five-time champions Cameroon, 2004 champions Tunisia, 1996 champions South Africa, two-time champions DR Congo, and 2013 finalists Burkina Faso.
Pot 3 consists of Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, and Benin, while Pot 4 has Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, 1970 champions Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.
Notable Absences
Four-time champions Ghana will not be participating in this year’s tournament, having failed to qualify in a group that included Niger, Sudan, and Angola. Other notable absentees include Gambia, Mauritania, Guinea, Cape Verde, Namibia, and Guinea-Bissau, all of whom participated in the 2023 AFCON.
Returning Teams
Gabon, Comoros, and Sudan make a welcome return to the AFCON tournament, while Botswana returns to the AFCON for the first time since 2013.
With the draw set to take place today, fans across Africa and beyond are eagerly anticipating the start of the tournament.
