Finally, the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is here! And the continent’s most prestigious competition is holding in no other nation than at north Africa’s history maker. Morocco will be staging the FIFA World Cup five years from now, with Portugal and Spain as co-hosts. South Africa broke the African jinx by welcoming the world in 2010.
Back to Morocco. As hosts, the Atlas Lions will open AFCON 2025 on Sunday with lightweights Comoros, whose debut was two editions ago, losing 1-2 to Cameroon in the Round of 16 after scrapping through the group stage as one of the best losers at that phase.
With Mali and Zambia also in the same Group A, Morocco are favourites to go through in the first round, and perhaps go all the way to win the tournament since their only hurrah way back in 1976.
Morocco’s squad includes PSG’s Achraf Hakimi. The national team captain is regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world, known for his exceptional pace, tactical intelligence, and attacking prowess. He featured prominently in the PSG team that won the UEFA Champions League for the first time on 31 May, this year.
Also in the squad are keeper Yassine Bounou; defenders Nayef Aguerd (Marseille) and Noussair Mazraou; midfielders Sofyan Amrabat and Azzedine Ounahi; and forwards Youssef En-Nesyri and Ayoub El Kaabi.
Also in Group A, Mali, whose best AFCON performance was second place in 1972, will expect to navigate the first round ahead of 2012 champions Zambia.
Egypt approach record-extending No. 8
In Group B, hostilities begin on Monday with two qualifiers for next year’s FIFA World Cup finals battling for advance to the knockout stages. Record title holders Egypt will be going for their first crown since 2010 to make it eight times as champions, while South Africa aimed at lifting the trophy for the second time after hosting and winning in 1996. Also in the group are Angola and Zimbabwe.
Leading the charge for the Egyptian Pharaohs is Liverpool’s prolific forward Mohamed Sallah with Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush also in the attack formation. Mohamed El Shenawy of domestic club Al Ahly is one of Africa’s best goalkeepers, known for his exceptional reflexes and ability to keep clean sheets. He will be within the sticks as Egypt, Africa’s third ranked side by FIFA, rely on defender Mohamed Abdelmonem, midfielder Trézéguet and others to ensure victory, beginning with the opening match against Zimbabwe.
South Africa’s Bafana Bafana will face Angola also on Monday looking up to Mamelodi Sundowns’ Ronwen Williams, who is considered one of the best goalkeepers in Africa, to keep them safe. Other stars include Williams’ club mate Teboho Mokoena, who is rated technically capable and combative; experienced striker with 46 caps, Percy Tau and Orlando Pirates’ defender, Nkosinathi Sibisi.
Will Nigeria shine?
The Super Eagles, in Group C, have this competition to make amends for their unimpressive challenge for Africa’s ticket to next year’s FIFA World Cup finals. Unable to go through via the group qualification phase, Nigeria had a second chance through the intercontinental playoffs, but again bundled it by failing at the last stage to represent Africa in the mini-tournament next March. DR Congo, instead, prevailed 4-3 penalties and are just one win away from picking the ticket to the finals, to be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico and Canada.
Tunisia are the biggest threat to the Super Eagles at the group stage in Morocco with Uganda and Tanzania being the other challengers. Midfielder Wilfred Ndidi will substantively captain the team for the first time as Nigeria, who fell short 1-2 in the final of the last edition to Côte d’Ivoire, go up against Tanzania on Tuesday. The Taifa Stars are among three sides — others being Mozambique and Botswana — who have never won a match in the AFCON finals.
Expected to produce results for the West Africans are top-rated strikers Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon and Ademola Lukman; midfielders Alex Iwobi and Frank Onyeka; and defenders Calvin Bassey and Zaidu Sanusi.
Tunisia will face Uganda on Matchday 1 as the north African chase their second continental title after hosting and winnin in 2004. The Eagles of Carthage had not been in the last four of this competition in the last three editions.
Keeper Noureddine Farhati, defenders Montassar Talbi of Lorient and Espérance’s Yassine Meriah; midfielders Ellyes Skhiri of Eintracht Frankfurt, Burnley’s Hannibal Mejbri; forwards Elias Achouri of Copenhagen and Zamalek’s Seifeddine Jaziri are among the stars in the Tunisia squad for Morocco 2025.
Côte d’Ivoire, others in the mix
Former champions Senegal (2021) will be inspired by ex-Liverpool star, Sadio Mané who now plays for Saudi Pro-League side, Al-Nassr. In Group D, the Lions of Teranga will start with Botswana, while their biggest opponents, DR Congo take on Benin Republic. Captain Kalidou Koulibaly of Al-Hilal and West Ham’s El Hadji Malick Diouf in the defence; as well as Everton’s Idrissa Gueye, Spurs’ Pape Matar Sarr; and Ismaïla Sarr of Crystal Palace are in the Senegalese contigent to the competition.
In Group E, Algeria, the 1990 and 2019 winners, will first face Sudan, on the same Tuesday that Burkina Faso tackle Equatorial Guinea. Just as defending champions Côte d’Ivoire have a date with Mozambique in Group F with Cameroon engaging Gabon.
At the end of the group phase on New Year’s eve, 16 teams will progress to the first knock-out stage — four as best third placed at the first round.
Matchday 1 fixtures
Sunday: Morocco v Comoros (8 pm)
Monday: Mali v Zambia (3 pm), South Africa v Angola (6 pm), Egypt v Zimbabwe (9 pm)
Tuesday: DR Congo v Benin Republic (1:30 pm), Senegal v Botswana (4 pm), Nigeria v Tanzania (6:30 pm), Tunisia v Uganda (9 pm)
Wednesday: Burkina Faso v Equatorial Guinea (1:30 pm), Algeria v Sudan (4 pm), Côte d’Ivoire v Mozambique (6:30 pm), Cameroon v Gabon (9 pm)
