David GOMBE
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has revealed the pots and procedure for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morrocco 2025 Final Draw that will be held on Monday, 27 January at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat at 9:00P EAT.
Morocco will host the 2025 Continental showpiece from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
The draw will divide the 24 teams into six groups of four, with the top two in each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, advancing to the round of 16.
Morocco automatically occupies position A1 as hosts, while the rest of the teams are seeded based on their FIFA rankings.
Current AFCON champions Cote d’Ivoire will also head one of the other five pools as they sit in Pot 1 which has Morocco (hosts), Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria.
Pot 2 has five time champions Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, Burkina Faso.
Uganda Cranes who will be making their eighth appearance at the finals are placed in Pot 3 along with Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Equatorial Guinea and Benin.
Pot 4 has Underdogs Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Draw Procedure;
•The ball of Morocco will be drawn first from Pot 1, and it will go to position A1
•The balls from Pot 4 will be drawn sequentially to positions A4, B4, C4, D4, E4, F4.
•The balls from Pot 3 will be drawn sequentially to positions A3, B3, C3, D3, E3, F3.
•The balls from Pot 2 will be drawn sequentially to positions A2, B2, C2, D2, E2, F2.
•The remaining balls from Pot 1 (minus Morocco) will be drawn sequentially to positions B1, C1, D1, E1, F1.
The top two teams in each pool as well as the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the round of 16 at the AFCON 2025.
AFCON 2025 Draw Pots
Pot 1: Morocco (A1), Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire.
Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo and Burkina Faso
Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea and Benin
Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Botswana
