AFCON 2025 draw LIVE: Africa Cup of Nations groups confirmed as Nigeria learn fate

AFCON 2025 draw LIVE

Mohamed Salah’s Egypt have been handed a tough draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The Pharaohs were beaten in the last-16 at the last tournament and will be tested right from the start of the AFCON in Morocco later this year. Egypt have been draw in Group B alongside South Africa, who finished third a year ago, and Angola, who were narrowly beaten in the quarter-finals. Zimbabwe complete the group.

Defending champions Ivory Coast and Cameroon will face each other in Group F, where both will be confident of finishing above Gabon and Mozambique. Hosts Morocco will take on Comoros in the opening match of the tournament on December 21, before they turn their focus to Zambia and Mali.

Nigeria will be eyeing a first AFCON title since 2013 and they will start that campaign with an opening Group B match against Tanzania. The Super Eagles will then face Tunisia, before taking on Uganda in their final group-stage match. The top two in each group will progress through to the last-16, along with the four best third-placed teams.

AFCON draw latest news

• Draw in full

• When is AFCON 2025?

Draw in full

19:37 , Matt Verri

And that wraps it up for the AFCON 2025 draw. We made it.

Here is a full recap of the draw:

Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros

Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe

Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania

Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana

Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan

Group F: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique

19:35 , Matt Verri

Group F: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique

19:35 , Matt Verri

Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan

19:34 , Matt Verri

Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana

19:34

Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania

19:33 , Matt Verri

Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe

Camera cuts to the Egypt boss - I wouldn’t describe his expression as a smile.

19:32 , Matt Verri

And then there were five...

Morocco know who they will face in Group A, just the remainder of Pot 1 left to split up.

Would say none of them will be desperate to join South Africa and Angola in Group B.

19:30 , Matt Verri

Group F: Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique

19:30 , Matt Verri

Group E: Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan

19:30 , Matt Verri

Group D: DR Congo, Benin, Botswana

19:29 , Matt Verri

Group C: Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania

19:28 , Matt Verri

Group B: South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe

19:28 , Matt Verri

Pot 2, unsurprisingly, next up.

Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros

Looks to be a really competitive group.

19:25 , Matt Verri

Group F: Gabon, Mozambique

19:25 , Matt Verri

Group E: Equatorial Guinea, Sudan

19:24 , Matt Verri

Group D: Benin, Botswana

19:24

Group C: Uganda, Tanzania

19:23 , Matt Verri

Group B: Angola, Zimbabwe

19:23 , Matt Verri

So then, Pot 3 next up.

Group A: Morocco, Zambia, Comoros

19:20

Group D for Botswana. Sudan go into Group E.

And so that means Mozambique have to be in Group F.

Pot 4 done and dusted. Let’s keep this moving.

19:19 , Matt Verri

On we go.

Zimbabwe are in Group B, with Tanzania in Group C.

The music being played over this draw is getting increasingly dramatic. You’d think someone was about to be voted off The Apprentice.

19:18 , Matt Verri

It’s the Pot 4 teams that will be put into the six groups first.

Into Group A go... Comoros.

So it will be Morocco vs Comoros to begin AFCON 2025.

19:16 , Matt Verri

Right, all the waffling is done.

After 75 minutes, we’re up and running.

Morocco in Group A as the hosts.

19:11 , Matt Verri

Aliou Cisse struts onto the stage.

He was manager when Senegal went all the way at AFCON 2021.

Last but not least, Joseph Yobo takes his place behind one of the tables.

Now it’s time for the draw. And we mean it.

19:08 , Matt Verri

Next onto the stage is Serge Aurier.

The former Tottenham right-back was, of course, involved as Ivory Coast lifted the trophy on home soil a year ago.

19:06 , Matt Verri

Here we go. We’ve got some tables and pots on the stage. This is progress.

First though, those involved in the draw are basically getting their Wikipedia page read out.

First up, Mustapha Hadji.

19:02 , Matt Verri

“We are gradually approaching the long-awaited moment.”

Gradually doesn’t quite do it justice. Next up is a montage to remind us of the 24 teams involved in the draw.

Here you go:

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

Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana

19:00 , Matt Verri

CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe decides he has some things to say that we all need to hear.

This speech ensures we make it past the hour mark for this ceremony without anyone even threatening to start the draw.

Very impressive.

18:57 , Matt Verri

Now we’re talking. The trophy has been brought out onto the stage, accompanied by some very dramatic music.

Ahmed ‘Baba’ Makrouh brings it out. He was in the last Morocco squad to win AFCON, all the way back in 1976.

18:52 , Matt Verri

Camera cuts to those in the front row of the audience - more than one of them on their phone.

Can only assume they are having to rearrange their taxis home, thought they’d be done by now.

Anyway, time for a montage of last year’s tournament. Spoiler alert... Ivory Coast won.

18:49 , Matt Verri

Four singing performances wasn’t enough, so now we have a fifth and some backing dancers to go with it.

This ceremony began 45 minutes ago. I’m now only 85% sure we’re getting a draw.

18:43 , Matt Verri

We’ve spoken to most of the managers, we’ve had all the tourism messages...

Now it’s time for what appears to be a Moroccan choir. Guy with an electric guitar barges his way to the front and he’s trying his best to get the crowd going.

Full marks for enthusiasm. I won’t score anything else...

18:37 , Matt Verri

Egypt boss Hossam Hassan is speaking now.

He’s telling everyone that Mohamed Salah is quite good at football, and will be important to Egypt’s hopes of winning AFCON.

I agree.

18:31 , Matt Verri

Oh, another musical performance.

Reminder that the first match of AFCON 2025 is on December 21. We might have to go straight into it.

18:26 , Matt Verri

That speech is done... hopefully the draw is coming up next.

First though, a bit more chat about the weather and cuisine of Morocco. Just what we were all hoping for.

18:18 , George Flood

Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, is now on the stage.

He will give a quick speech before the draw begins.

18:17 , George Flood

Just a little bit longer to wait as we run through some more promos for Morocco’s hosting of the tournament.

We will be underway very soon... I promise!

AFCON draw set to begin

18:10 , George Flood

After a second consecutive musical performance, we will be underway with the draw very shortly.

The host is on the stage.

AFCON draw ceremony underway

18:05

The Africa Cup of Nations draw ceremony at Rabat’s Mohammed V National Theatre is now underway!

First we’ll have an opening musical number before the serious business begins.

AFCON draw coming up

17:57 , George Flood

Almost time to get underway in Rabat.

A speech from CAF president Dr Patrice Motsepe is expected to get us off and running.

Not long now!

17:46 , Matt Verri

Stars are arriving on the red carpet.

Around 15 minutes to go until the draw ceremony gets up and running!

How the AFCON draw works

17:36 , Matt Verri

The 24 teams have been split into four pots.

One team from each pot will go into the six groups, with Morocco guaranteed to be in Group A as hosts.

The top two from each group will progress into the last-16, along with the four best third-placed teams.

No Ghana at AFCON 2025!

17:27 , Matt Verri

Big shock in qualifying was Ghana’s disastrous run of results.

For the first time since 2004, they will not be appearing at AFCON after they finished bottom of their qualifying group.

Six matches, no wins - only Madagascar, Namibia and South Sudan finished with fewer points in the qualifying process.

Ivory Coast the defending champions

17:17 , Matt Verri

There was no shortage of drama at last year’s tournament!

Hosts Ivory Coast sacked their manager after the group stage, still managed to scrape into the knockout stages and then suddenly found some form.

Ivory Coast fell behind in the final against Nigeria, but mounted a comeback to lift the trophy.

In the building!

17:08 , Matt Verri

New Nigeria boss Eric Chelle has arrived at the ceremony.

Augustine Eguavoen led the Super Eagles through qualifying, but it will be Chelle in charge of the serious business later this year.

When is AFCON 2025?

16:57 , Matt Verri

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.

AFCON 2025 pots in full

16:48 , Matt Verri

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

Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana

How to watch AFCON draw

16:37 , Matt Verri

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.

Live blog: Follow the draw right here with us!

Good afternoon!

16:30 , Matt Verri

Hello and welcome to Standard Sport’s LIVE coverage of the draw for AFCON 2025!

Less than a year now until the tournament kicks off in Morocco, and this evening the 24 teams involved will learn their group-stage opponents.

We’ll have all the latest build-up right here before full coverage of the draw, which will begin at 6pm GMT.

Stick with us!