AFCON 2025: Ghana muscled out of race in one-all draw against Angola

Ghana have failed to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

Otto Addo’s team were held to a 1-1 draw by Group F leaders Angola on Friday, which ensures Ghana cannot qualify for the finals despite one full round of qualification matches remaining.

Leicester City forward Jordan Ayew opened the scoring for Ghana in the 18th minute in Luanda, Angola, but the hosts equalised in the 63rd minute from Zini.

Angola have now qualified for AFCON, which will be staged between December 2025 and January 2026, while South Sudan — who have never previously qualified for a major football tournament either as an independent nation or as Sudan — remain three points clear of Niger in the remaining qualification pot ahead of matchday six.Ghana have scored just two goals across their first five group qualification matches, in which they picked up just three points — one behind third-placed Niger and four from South Sudan.

Addo’s side began their campaign with a 0-1 home defeat to Angola before draws against Niger (1-1) and South Sudan (0-0), before a 2-0 defeat in South Sudan in matchday four.

Four-time AFCON winners Ghana have been involved in each of the most recent 10 versions of the continental tournament, but exited at the group stage in both 2021 and 2023.

Ghana were runners-up in the tournament in 2015 and reached the semi-final stage two years later, but have failed to advance past the round of 16 in the three tournaments since.

Morocco will host the upcoming version of the tournament that will begin on December 21, 2025 and run until January 18, 2026.