Putting the AFCON 2025 draw into perspective

Africa’s football greats will gather in Rabat on Monday to draw the teams that will take part in the AFCON finals.

The countdown for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) draw is on as Morocco is set to host a huge celebration of football for the second time since 1988. Back then, only eight teams played. But this time, 24 teams will battle it out for the title.

The qualified nations are divided into four pots based on their FIFA rankings:

Pot 1: Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire

Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, and Burkina Faso

Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, and Benin

Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Botswana

During the draw, these national teams will be placed into six groups of four. The top two teams in each group, plus the four best third-placed sides will move to the knockout stage.

Egypt is the most successful nation in AFCON history with seven titles. Côte d’Ivoire, the defending champions, has won the trophy three times. Cameroon has lifted the trophy five times, while Nigeria and Algeria have each won it three and two times, respectively.

Morocco claimed their only title in 1976 when the tournament was held in Ethiopia. But then, the tournament didn’t have a knockout stage. Instead, the top four teams from the first round played in a final group stage. Each team played against the other three, and the team with the most points was crowned champion.

Now, all eyes are on Morocco as they prepare to host a “historic” tournament. CAF has given the North African country its stamp of approval, saying that time and time again Morocco has proven they can handle big events, from the FIFA Club World Cup to the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.

The draw will take place tomorrow, January 26 at 7 p.m. Moroccan time at the Mohammed V National Theater in Rabat.

The ceremony is expected to feature the biggest names in African football history, such as Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, Cameroon’s Patrick Mboma, Tunisia’s Aymen Mathlouthi, and Ivory Coast’s Gervinho.

CAF announced that the ceremony will feature a music show with top artists in the lineup including Morocco’s Hatim Ammor, Congolese star Maître Gims, and the Moroccan music producer RedOne.

On Saturday, CAF also unveiled the official logo of the 2025 AFCON, which perfectly reflects Morocco’s cultural heritage. It depicts the AFCON cup covered in zellige, the country’s traditional form of mosaic art.