AFCON
Morocco 2025 Draw: Africa Cup of Nations through the ages
The Africa Cup of Nations started with only three entrants in the opening edition in Sudan in 1957 with the hosts, Egypt and Ethiopia competing.
The fourth founder member of the Confédération Africaine de Football was South Africa, but they did not compete, leaving Egypt to play Sudan in Khartoum in the first game and then advance to play Ethiopia in the deciding match, which they won 4-0
It was a humble beginning for a tournament that will celebrate its 35th edition when 24 teams gather in Morocco in December to contest for the top prize in African sport.
The draw for the finals is being conducted in Rabat on Monday.
From three teams to 24 has been a remarkable progression, testimony to the appeal of the continent’s premium sports event and the advancements African football has made.
The third edition of the finals in 1962 saw qualifying introduced and the size of the final tournament, hosted in Ethiopia, increased to four teams, with two semi-finals, a third-place play-off match and the final.
The next year in 1963, the size of the finals in Ghana went up to six competitors, divided into two groups of three with the two group winners (Ghana and Sudan) going on to contest the final. The same format was kept for the 1965 edition, following a much more expansive qualifying competition.
The 1968 finals in Ethiopia featured eight teams, divided into two groups of four and with a semi-final stage as the top two finishers in the groups advanced to the last four.
The Cup of Nations would stay as an eight-team tournament for a total of 12 editions, until the 1992 finals in Senegal when the number of finalists increased to 12.
They were divided into four groups of three teams with the top two advancing. It meant that only four countries were eliminated after the first round and for the first time the tournament had a quarter-final stage.
Only two editions later, CAF again increased the size of the tournament to 16 sides but the first of the new-look editions in South Africa in 1996 only had 15 competitors because Nigeria failed to travel.
It was supposed to be four groups of four teams each with the top two going onto the quarter-finals but one of the groups had only three competitors.
The 16-team tournament was the format for 12 successive editions until the Cup of Nations was expanded again for the 2019 finals in Egypt.
With 24 teams, the tournament has a total of 52 matches, with six groups initially, then a last-16 knockout round which means many more decisive matches.
It proved a thrill a minute in 2019 with several shock results, equally exciting at the next finals in Cameroon and such was the quality of football in almost every game at the last tournament in the Cote d’Ivoire that it was a riveting spectacle from start to finish.
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The iconic Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat, Morocco, has been transformed into a dazzling hub of African football as it prepares to host the Final Draw for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 on Monday.
The much-anticipated event, scheduled for Monday, 27 January, at 19h00 local time (18h00 GMT), will unveil the group stage opponents for the 24 participating nations.
Branding for the competition now adorns the theatre’s elegant exterior, blending modernity with Moroccan heritage.
Posters, logos, and the vibrant colours of TotalEnergies CAF AFCON 2025 have draped the building, ensuring it fully embodies the spirit of the continent’s most prestigious football tournament.
A Symbol of Elegance and Culture
Inaugurated in 1961 by King Hassan II, the Mohammed V National Theatre stands as a jewel of Moroccan architecture and culture.
Located in the heart of Rabat, the venue has been meticulously prepared for the draw, reflecting the rich history and cultural pride of its surroundings.
The theatre will also host musical segments led by Moroccan producer RedOne, adding a cultural flair to the night’s proceedings.
Anticipation Grips Rabat
The city of Rabat has embraced the TotalEnergies AFCON fever, with an electrifying atmosphere spreading across its streets.
Residents and visitors alike are eagerly anticipating the draw, which will be attended by national team coaches, African football legends, and dignitaries.
Rabat, a coastal gem with a population of 1.8 million, is no stranger to hosting global events, further cementing its status as a key hub for African football.
A Star-Studded Event
The Final Draw will feature a gathering of football royalty. Coaches such as Côte d’Ivoire’s Emerse Faé, Senegal’s Pape Bouna Thiaw, and Algeria’s Vladimir Petković are among the over 20 national team coaches expected.
Adding to the glamour, African legends including Rigobert Song, Essam El Hadary, and Mustapha Hadji will lend their gravitas to the occasion.
What to Expect
The draw will divide the 24 teams into six groups of four, with the top two teams and the four best third-placed sides advancing to the knockout rounds.
Fans worldwide can follow the ceremony live via CAF’s social media platforms and partner broadcasters, as Rabat takes centre stage for this pivotal moment in African football history.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
The path which three-time champions, five-time runners up and record seven-time bronze medallists, the Super Eagles will have to navigate to the title match for Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will be charted this Monday evening.
Super Eagles in Pot 1 are already assured of pre-tournament headship of a group. More than often, the Super Eagles have had podium finishes in most of their 19 previous appearances.
They were on the podium 15 times except in the editions of 1963, 1982, 2008 and 2021. In Morocco 2025, will it be a bumpy or smooth ride to the podium?
For sure, at the group stage, they will have some knotty problems to solve as they will certainly get tough opposition from Pot 2 comprising Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo and Burkina Faso.
With Cameroon, the rivalry has been longstanding and intense. The same with Tunisia and South Africa.
Mali, DR Congo and Burkina Faso will be ‘soft’ options. Mali will however throw up controversy as a Malian is in charge of the Nigerian team.
The Pot 3 also contains familiar foes for the Super Eagles who faced Angola and Equatorial Guinea in the last edition and have in recent fixtures crossed paths with the Benin Republic.
Uganda has always been a hard nut to crack for succeeding Nigerian national teams. In eight head-to-head encounters since 1978, Nigeria lost four times to Uganda won two, and drew two others.
Two of the famous losses to Uganda included the elimination of the then star-studded Green Eagles at the semi-finals at 1978 AFCON in Ghana and the 1-0 defeat of Super Eagles in Uyo in a commemorative match to mark the 100th cap of Vincent Enyeama. Odion Ighalo made his debut for Nigeria at the match.
Uganda, therefore, will not be an easy pick for Nigeria.
Pot 4 comprising Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Botswana presents a tricky choice.
If it is Zimbabwe, the Super Eagles are already in the same World Cup qualifying group. The Nigerian side laboured to salvage a point when they met last year in Rwanda.
The Super Eagles will host Zimbabwe later this year on the road to the 2026 World Cup.
A comfortable draw for Nigeria could be Nigeria – DR Congo – Gabon – Comoros.
A tough group could be Nigeria – Cameroon/Tunisia/South Africa – Uganda- Sudan.
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The procedure for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morrocco 2025 Final Draw, has been revealed ahead of the ceremony, which will take place this Monday at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat.
The 24 qualified teams will be drawn into six groups each containing four sides, with host nation Morocco placed at the head of Group A.
Current AFCON champions Cote d’Ivoire will also head one of the other five pools as they sit in Pot 1.
The other qualified teams are placed in Pots 1-4 based on their FIFA World Ranking as of 19 December 2024.
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 BotswanaThe procedure of the draw will be:
- The ball of Morocco will be drawn first from Pot 1, and it will go to position A1
- The balls from Pot 4 will be drawn sequentially to positions A4, B4, C4, D4, E4, F4.
- The balls from Pot 3 will be drawn sequentially to positions A3, B3, C3, D3, E3, F3.
- The balls from Pot 2 will be drawn sequentially to positions A2, B2, C2, D2, E2, F2.
- The remaining balls from Pot 1 (minus Morocco) will be drawn sequentially to positions B1, C1, D1, E1, F1.
The top two teams in each pool as well as the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the round of 16 at the AFCON 2025.
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