Ahead of the AFCON Morocco 2025, CAF) has officially unveiled the draw procedure for the highly anticipated draw with the ceremony scheduled to take place today at the prestigious Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat.
The draw will determine the group stage matchups for the upcoming tournament as this crucial step will set the stage for the competition and generate excitement among fans across the continent as they anticipate the clashes between the 24 participating nations.
The 24 qualified teams for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be divided into six groups, each comprising four nations. As the host nation, Morocco will automatically be placed at the top of Group A while reigning champions Côte d'Ivoire will also enjoy top billing in one of the other five groups, securing their place in Pot 1.
Pot 1: Morocco (A1), Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire
Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo and Burkina Faso
Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea and Benin
Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Botswana
The remaining qualified teams will be categorized into four separate pots based on their FIFA World Ranking as of December 19, 2024. This ranking system will determine the seeding for the draw, ensuring a fair and competitive distribution of teams across the groups.
Advancement to the round of 16 at the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025 will be granted to the top two teams in each group, as well as the four highest-ranked third-place finishers across all groups.
By Olaleye Oluwadamilola