AFCON 2025 Draw: Hosts Morocco and Defending Champions Ivory Coast Learn Their Group Stage Opponents

The draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been completed, with the tournament set to take place from December 21, 2024, to January 18, 2025. Ivory Coast will begin their title defense against Mozambique, while tournament hosts Morocco, who made history by reaching the World Cup semifinals in 2022, will face the Comoros Islands in Rabat.
This AFCON will be Morocco's biggest football event before they co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal. Although Morocco surprised many with their World Cup run in 2022, they were unexpectedly eliminated in the Round of 16 at the previous AFCON by South Africa.
Ivory Coast, who won the last tournament as hosts, will compete in a group with Cameroon, Gabon, and Mozambique as they attempt to retain their title. Nigeria, last year's finalists with standout players like Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen, have been placed in a group with Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Egypt, led by Mohamed Salah, is aiming for their first AFCON title with Salah at 33 years old. They will face South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe in the group stage. Meanwhile, the 2021 champions, Senegal, will face Congo, Benin, and Botswana.
Algeria, one of the top seeds, has been drawn into a relatively favorable group with Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan. Matches will be held in six cities: Agadir, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat, and Tangier.
The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will progress to the round of 16. This year’s tournament will kick off earlier than usual, giving European-based players enough time to return for the resumption of the Champions League in late January. Many of these players will also be involved in the 2026 World Cup, which will be co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Here is the full draw:
Group A: Morocco, 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: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique