AFCON 2025: Defending champions Côté d’Ivoire to reignite rivalry against 5-time winners Cameroon
The stage is set for Africa’s biggest football spectacle as the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 draw concluded today in Rabat, Morocco. The 35th edition of the tournament, featuring 24 of the continent’s best teams, promises intense rivalries, star-studded lineups, and dramatic clashes.
Defending champions Cote d’Ivoire will face a stern test in Group F, where they will take on their fierce rivals Cameroon, alongside Gabon and Mozambique. The match between the Elephants and the Indomitable Lions is already shaping up to be one of the most anticipated games of the group stage.
AFCON 2025 Groups
Group A: Morocco (hosts), Mali, Zambia, Comoros
Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
Group F: Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
Key Highlights
Hosts Morocco, aiming to lift the trophy for the first time since 1976, are drawn in Group A with Mali, Zambia, and Comoros. The tournament opener will see Morocco take on Comoros on December 21 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Seven-time champions Egypt, led by stars Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush, headline Group B, facing South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe. Egypt will be eager to reclaim the title they last won in 2010.
Nigeria, seeking their first AFCON victory since 2013, will battle it out in Group C against Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania. The Super Eagles will rely on their attacking firepower and depth to navigate a competitive group.
Senegal, fresh off their maiden AFCON title in 2021, are grouped in Group D alongside DR Congo, Benin, and Botswana. With players like Sadio Mané expected to lead the charge, the Teranga Lions will aim for another triumphant campaign.
Group E will witness Algeria, the 2019 champions, face off against Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan. The Desert Foxes will look to assert dominance after their early exit in 2021.
In Group F, the defending champions Cote d’Ivoire face a challenging path, with rivals Cameroon and the ever-dangerous Gabon in their group. Mozambique, making a return to AFCON, rounds out this competitive quartet.
Tournament Details
The AFCON 2025 will kick off on December 21, 2025, with the final set to take place on January 18, 2026, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
Teams will battle across six groups in the group stage, with the top two from each group and the four best third-placed teams advancing to the knockout stages.
This year’s tournament promises to showcase the best of African football, with a mix of experienced giants and underdog nations ready to make their mark. The stage is now set, and the countdown to AFCON 2025 has officially begun!
