Balanced draw for Arab teams in African Nations Cup qualifiers

Morocco – The draw for the qualifiers for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, which was held yesterday, Thursday, in Johannesburg, resulted in balanced groups for the Arab teams, although the most difficult ones were for the teams of Egypt, Sudan and Algeria.

The draw placed the Pharaohs in Group 3, alongside Cape Verde, Mauritania and Botswana.

While the “Jedian Falcons” team came in Group Six with Ghana, Angola and Niger.

While the Desert Warriors were in Group Five with Equatorial Guinea, Togo and Liberia.

The participating teams were initially divided into four pots, with the first pot including the highest-ranked teams, according to the latest FIFA rankings, issued on June 20, 2024.

The same procedure was applied to pots 2, 3 and 4 to form the groups of 48 teams.

The African Union announced last week that the next African Cup of Nations, scheduled to be held in Morocco, will be held between December 21, 2025 and January 18, 2026, instead of June and July 2025, as previously scheduled.

The qualifiers will be held in a two-round league system, with the top two teams in each group advancing to the finals, which will be held with the participation of 24 teams.

The first and second rounds will be held during the international break next September, while the third and fourth rounds will be in October.

While the qualifiers conclude in November with the fifth and sixth rounds.

The following are the results of the draw:

Group 1: Tunisia – Madagascar – Comoros – Gambia.

Group Two: Morocco – Gabon – Central African Republic – Lesotho.

Group Three: Egypt – Cape Verde – Mauritania – Botswana.

Group 4: Nigeria – Benin – Libya – Rwanda.

Group Five: Algeria – Equatorial Guinea – Togo – Liberia.

Group Six: Ghana – Angola – Sudan – Niger.

Group 7: Ivory Coast – Zambia – Sierra Leone – Chad.

Group 8: Democratic Republic of the Congo – Guinea – Tanzania – Ethiopia.

Group 9: Mali – Mozambique – Guinea-Bissau – Eswatini.