AFCON 2025: Full List Of Qualified Teams, Favourites, And Challengers As Morocco Gears Up To Host

The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025) will light up Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, promising to deliver one of the most competitive and entertaining tournaments in African football history.

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AFCON 2025 Qualified Teams

Here are the 24 nations that have booked their place in Morocco:

Algeria
Angola
Benin Republic
Botswana
Burkina Faso
Cameroon
Comoros
Côte d’Ivoire
DR Congo
Egypt
Equatorial Guinea
Gabon
Mali
Morocco (Hosts)
Nigeria
Senegal
South Africa
Sudan
Tanzania
Tunisia
Uganda
Zambia
Zimbabwe

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AFCON 2025 Favourites

Morocco – As hosts, the Atlas Lions have the home advantage and the confidence from their historic 2022 World Cup semi-final run. Ranked as Africa’s top side, they are the clear favourites.

Senegal – The 2021 champions are loaded with world-class talent led by Sadio Mané and have the experience to go deep once again.

Egypt – With Mohamed Salah leading the charge, the record seven-time champions remain a constant threat thanks to their defensive structure and tournament experience.

Nigeria – The Super Eagles, powered by Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, boast one of the deadliest attacks in Africa and are desperate to lift their first AFCON title since 2013.

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AFCON 2025 Challengers

Côte d’Ivoire – The reigning champions enter as a dangerous side capable of going back-to-back despite mixed qualifying results.

Cameroon – The five-time champions bring power, passion, and big-game mentality. Their knockout experience makes them a threat to anyone.

Mali – A team flying under the radar, known for technical precision and consistency. Many believe this could be their breakout year.

Algeria – The 2019 winners are hungry for redemption and armed with a blend of youth, flair, and experience.

South Africa – Organized and tactically solid, Bafana Bafana can frustrate even the strongest teams.

DR Congo – A physical, relentless team with a history of upsetting giants. Expect fireworks when they play.

Tunisia – The Eagles of Carthage are tournament veterans who always find a way to go far, thanks to their tactical discipline.

Zambia – The 2012 champions are back after a long absence. Young and energetic, they’re capable of springing surprises.

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The Rest Of The Qualified Teams

The remaining teams will be battling hard for crucial third-place spots to advance to the knockout stages:

Angola, Benin Republic, Botswana, Comoros, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Mozambique, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zimbabwe.

Among them, Botswana returns after a 12-year absence, while Comoros continues to impress as one of Africa’s fastest-rising football nations.

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The Stage Is Set

Fans are already buzzing with anticipation as the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat prepares to host the opening match between Morocco and Comoros on December 21, 2025.

Goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali has already declared that Nigeria is going to Morocco “to win it all” — a statement that echoes the Super Eagles’ hunger and ambition.

With star players, electric fans, and the continent’s best on display, AFCON 2025 promises to be an unforgettable celebration of African football.

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When It Comes To The Africa Cup Of Nations (AFCON) 2025, The Cranes Of Uganda Are Not Coming To Morocco Just To Participate — They’re Coming To Compete.

Head Coach Paul Put has made it clear that his boys are ready for the challenge ahead, despite being drawn into what many call a “group of death” alongside three-time champions Nigeria, tactical powerhouse Tunisia, and fierce regional rivals Tanzania.

“They (Super Eagles) are a perennial powerhouse. There are threats everywhere from their squad with top talent and European experience,” Put told CAFonline.

But the Belgian coach isn’t losing sleep over the opposition. Instead, he’s focused on preparation, confidence, and teamwork.

“We will respect all of them, but we are not intimidated. We will give a good account of ourselves,” he added.

Put acknowledged the strength and discipline of the Tunisian team, praising their tactical depth and technical ability. He also admitted that the East African derby against Tanzania will be one for the books — filled with passion, pride, and familiarity.

The Cranes, making their eighth AFCON appearance, will open their campaign against Tunisia on December 23. Fans across Uganda are already buzzing with excitement, hoping their team can rise beyond expectations and cause a few upsets along the way.

With Put’s confidence and a team eager to prove themselves, Uganda might just be the dark horse story everyone will talk about at AFCON 2025.

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At Sports Market International, we bring you the latest news, insights, and behind-the-scenes stories from the world of sports. Stay tuned as we follow every twist and turn of the AFCON 2025 journey — because here, we don’t just report sports; we live it.

Aliyu Zubairu has assured that the Nigeria U20 squad will be even better when they take on South Africa’s Amajita in the first semi-final of the ongoing CAF U20 Cup of Nations in the city of Ismailia on Thursday evening. Pundits have praised the seven-time champions for dominating the tough quarter-final encounter against Senegal at the same venue on Monday, before sending the Cup holders out of the tournament after a 3-1 penalty shootout win. “I believe we are going to have a great semi-final against the South Africans. I can guarantee that our approach will be much better, as the anxiety of whether or not we will earn a FIFA World Cup ticket is no longer there. It was a tense 120 minutes for us and the defending champions on Monday. “We have the World Cup ticket now and are quite happy. Against South Africa, we will play with great determination and composure, as we aim for the trophy, but without the tense atmosphere around the last match. Of course, we know the little matter of the rivalry between Nigeria and South Africa and what the game means, and we will go in there to do a real battle,” Head Coach Zubairu said on Tuesday. The man who led El-Kanemi Warriors of Maiduguri to win last year’s President Federation Cup competition believes his team has improved considerably since the first match against Tunisia on the first day of May.

“We can all see that the team has improved and actually getting better with each match. We will go all out against the South Africans.” Apart from their seven titles, Nigeria have also finished as runners-up on two occasions (1999 and 2007), and as bronze medallists on two other occasions as well (2009 and 2013). To set up a clash with the most-decorated team in the competition’s history, the Amajita had to also endure a 120-minute affray against the Democratic Republic of Congo, also at the same Suez Canal Authority Stadium where the Flying Eagles upended Senegal’s expectations. They won their own game 1-0 after extra time. Nigeria had collected four of her seven titles (1983, 1985, 1987, 1989) before South Africa (isolated for decades) was assimilated back into global sport following the release of Nelson Mandela from prison in 1990. Amajita’s first experience of the U20 Africa Cup of Nations was in 1997, and they finished as runners-up to hosts and winners Morocco. Nigeria did not qualify for the finals. Four years later, in Ethiopia, both Nigeria and South Africa finished bottom of their pool and exited at the group stage in what remains Nigeria’s worst outing ever in the history of the tournament. In 2009, Nigeria defeated South Africa 2-1 for bronze, and four years later defeated Mali by the same margin to also pick up the bronze medals in Algeria. As hosts in 2011, the Amajita crashed out at the group stage after winning one and losing two matches, while Nigeria roared to her sixth title with a 3-2 defeat of Cameroon in the final in Soweto. In 2015, Nigeria grabbed her seventh title in Senegal, while South Africa’s campaign ran into the sands in the group stage after losses to Ghana and Mali. Eight years ago, Nigeria didn’t qualify for the competition when South Africa finished in fourth place. In 2019, in Niger Republic, Nigeria defeated South Africa 5-3 after penalty shootout to win the bronze medals, after both teams had tied scoreless in a group phase encounter. In the second semi-final on Thursday, hosts and four-time winners Egypt – conquerors of 1999 world champions Ghana -will take on Morocco in Cairo.