AFCON 2025 moves a step closer tonight as the group-stage draw is held in Morocco. It is the first time since 1988 that Morocco have hosted the Africa Cup of Nations, and they will be hoping home advantage can help end a 50-year wait to be crowned champions of Africa.
Ivory Coast go into the tournament as holders having won as hosts last year, sacking Jean-Louis Gasset after the group-stages but still then going all the way to lift the trophy. Morocco and Ivory Coast have both been placed in Pot 1, with the other 22 countries split based on the FIFA world rankings in December.
The big shock in AFCON qualifying came as Ghana failed to win any of their six matches and finished bottom of the group, meaning they will miss the tournament for the first time since 2004. The draw for AFCON 2025 will take place this evening, Monday January 27, 2025.
It is set to begin at 6pm GMT at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat, Morocco. TV channel: The draw will be streamed live on DAZN in the UK. Live stream: Subscribers will be able to watch on a live stream via the DAZN website or app. The first match of AFCON 2025 will be played on Sunday December 21, 2025, when Morocco take on their first Group A opponent.
The tournament will run for a month, through to the final on Sunday January 18, 2026. Pot 1: Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Ivory Coast. Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, Burkina Faso. Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Benin.
