
Faith Nyasuguta
World Cup semifinalist Morocco will kick off the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on home soil in a group featuring Mali, Zambia, and Comoros. The highly anticipated tournament, scheduled from December 21 to January 18, will be Morocco’s biggest football event ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
Notably, Morocco defeated both nations during the 2022 World Cup, where they made history as the first African team to reach the semifinals before losing to France.
The Atlas Lions will aim to redeem themselves after a shocking exit in the round of 16 at last year’s AFCON, where they fell to South Africa.

Defending champions Ivory Coast, who lifted the trophy as hosts in 2023, will begin their title defense in a group with Cameroon, Gabon, and Mozambique. Nigeria, the beaten finalist last year, headlines a competitive group featuring Tunisia, Uganda, and Tanzania.
Egypt, led by 33-year-old Mohamed Salah, will continue their quest for glory in a group with South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe. Meanwhile, 2021 champions Senegal are drawn with Congo, Benin, and Botswana, while Algeria, winners in 2019, face Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan.
Matches will take place across six Moroccan cities: Agadir, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat, and Tangier. To accommodate players returning to European clubs, the tournament wraps up by mid-January, just in time for the UEFA Champions League.

AFCON 2025 serves as a crucial stage for African talent as the continent gears up for the expanded 48-team FIFA World Cup in 2026. With nine direct slots for Africa, the stakes have never been higher. Football fans can expect an electrifying showcase of the continent’s finest talent.
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