CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025: Final Draw to Determine Group Stages

Excitement is building as the Confederation of African Football (CAF) prepares for the final draw of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025.

The highly anticipated event will take place today, January 27, 2025, at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat, Morocco, starting at 19:00 local time.

The draw will determine the six groups for the tournament, with each group containing four teams. Morocco, the host nation, will automatically be placed at the top of Group A.

Current champions, Côte d’Ivoire, will also take their place as the head of one of the other five groups, as they are positioned in Pot 1.

The remaining teams will be drawn into groups according to their FIFA World Ranking as of December 19, 2024, and will be placed into Pots 1 to 4.

Pot 1 features Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, and Côte d’Ivoire.

Pot 2 includes Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, and Burkina Faso, while Pot 3 has teams such as Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, and Benin.

Finally, Pot 4 consists of Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, and Botswana.

The draw procedure will begin with Morocco’s ball being drawn first, placing them in position A1. The balls from Pot 4 will follow, filling positions A4, B4, C4, D4, E4, and F4.

Next, the teams from Pot 3 will be drawn into positions A3, B3, C3, D3, E3, and F3.

Finally, the balls from Pot 2 will be drawn sequentially into positions A2, B2, C2, D2, E2, and F2, with the remaining teams from Pot 1 (excluding Morocco) filling the last spots in positions B1, C1, D1, E1, and F1.

The tournament promises to be an exciting spectacle, with 24 teams competing for the prestigious AFCON title.

The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the knockout stage—the Round of 16—ensuring thrilling competition throughout the tournament.

With the draw just hours away, anticipation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is at an all-time high as fans eagerly await the matchups that will define the path to the ultimate glory in African football.