AFCON 2025 draw: Morocco to face Mali, Zambia, and Comoros

Host nation Morocco, World Cup 2022 semi-finalists, were drawn with Mali, Zambia, and Comoros in the group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the Athletic reports. The draw, held Monday at Rabat’s Mohammed V National Theatre, sets the stage for the tournament running from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, with the final at Morocco’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. 

Reigning champions Ivory Coast are grouped with Cameroon, Gabon, and Mozambique, while 2021 winners Senegal will play DR Congo, Benin, and Botswana. Egypt, the record seven-time champions, are in a group with South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe. Nigeria, under new coach Eric Chelle, face Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania.

Sudan, despite its ongoing civil war, qualified for the tournament and will compete against Algeria, Burkina Faso, and Equatorial Guinea. The draw promises intense matchups as Africa’s top footballing nations prepare for the continent’s premier sporting event.