Football fans across Africa are eagerly anticipating the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 Final Draw, scheduled to take place on Monday, January 27th, at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat, Morocco.
This event will determine the path to glory for the 24 qualified nations vying for continental supremacy.
Morocco was officially confirmed as the host nation for the tournament on September 27, 2023. This marks a significant return for Morocco, which last hosted the AFCON in 1988.
The last AFCON edition, featuring just eight teams, saw Cameroon emerge victorious after a final showdown against Nigeria. The 2025 tournament has expanded considerably since then, now featuring 24 nations.
Draw procedure and participating teams
CAF has confirmed that the Final Draw will be broadcast live to fans in nearly 50 African countries, as well as internationally in nations such as Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands, highlighting the growing global appeal of African football.
“The Final Draw will see the 24 qualified teams placed into six groups, each containing four sides, for the 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026 tournament in Morocco,” a CAF statement reads.
CAF says the 24 qualified teams have been seeded into four pots based on their CAF ranking, ensuring a balanced draw. The pots are as follows:
Pot 1: Morocco (hosts), Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire
Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, Burkina Faso
Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Benin
Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana
AFCON champions
As hosts, Morocco will automatically be placed at the head of Group A. Similarly, the reigning AFCON champions, Côte d’Ivoire, will head one of the other five groups.
A notable aspect of this year's tournament is the presence of 12 previous AFCON winners among the 24 qualified teams.
These nations hold a combined total of 28 championship titles, showcasing the rich history and competitive nature of the competition.
Egypt leads the pack with seven titles, followed by Cameroon (five), and Côte d’Ivoire and Nigeria with three titles each.
Adding to the prestige and excitement of the draw, CAF has announced a lineup of African football legends, Mustapha Hadji (Morocco), Serge Aurier (Côte d’Ivoire), Aliou Cisse (Senegal), and Joseph Yobo (Nigeria), who will serve as draw assistants.
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