AFCON 2025: Nigeria drawn in Group C to battle Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania

The 2025 AFCON tournament is set, with Nigeria aiming for glory. Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, and other top teams will compete for the prestigious title.

The 2025 AFCON will kickoff in December and run through mid January of 2026 to allow players return early to their respective clubs. (Photo credit: CAF)

The Super Eagles of Nigeria will begin their 2025 AFCON journey in Group C against Tunisia, with Uganda and Tanzania completing Group C, where they will fight it out.

Beaten finalists at the last AFCON by hosts Ivory Coast, the Super Eagles of Nigeria will hope to go one better in Morocco with star players like the reigning African footballer of the year, Ademola Lookman, and Victor Osimhen in their ranks.

Hosts Morocco will slug it out with the Eagles of Mali, the Chipolopolo of Zambia, and Comoros, with Mali being the strongest opposition. The hosts are in a good place in African football and are expected to be among the favourites despite having a poor run at the last AFCON.

The Dec. 21-Jan. 18 tournament will be the biggest soccer event in Morocco before co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal—the teams they eliminated at the 2022 World Cup to become the first African nation ever to reach the semifinals. Morocco then lost to eventual runner-ups France.

The Pharaohs of Egypt will battle it out in Group B with the Bafana-Bafana of South Africa, Angola, and Zimbabwe, with Mohammed Salah and Egypt looking for their first AFCON title since they last won it in 2010 in Angola.

2021 champions Senegal has been drawn in Group D, where they will face DR Congo, Benin Republic, and the southern African nation of Botswana, with Senegal the clear favourite to win the group, but as seen at the last tournament, where Ghana and Morocco didn’t make it out of the group stage, anything can happen.

Speaking of Ghana, the Black Stars will not be participating in this year’s AFCON after failing to qualify. It is the first time since 2004 that the Black Stars will miss out on the Africa Cup of Nations, with Sudan, managed by their former coach, taking their place at the tournament.

Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan will all do battle in E while reigning champions Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, and Mozambique will all square up in the final group with the battle between the Indomitable Lions and the one to look out for.