AFCON – Nigerians Learn Their Fate in CAF Draw, Face a Hurdle
By Emmanuel Sixtus
The draw for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 qualifiers took place in Johannesburg on Thursday, setting the stage for 48 African nations to vie for a spot in the continent’s premier football competition.
The qualifiers will determine who gets to challenge coach Emerse Fae’s Côte d’Ivoire, the reigning champions, for the coveted title.
Emerse Fae, one of the two draw assistants along with Moroccan legend Marouane Chamakh, witnessed his team being placed in a challenging group.
Côte d’Ivoire, who clinched the title earlier this year by defeating Nigeria 2-1 in the final held in Abidjan, are drawn into Group G. They will face tough competition from former champions Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad.
Host nation Morocco found themselves in Group B, where they will compete against Gabon, the Central African Republic, and Lesotho. With their spot in the tournament already secured as hosts, Morocco will approach the qualifiers with less pressure.
The qualifiers will commence in September 2024 and conclude in November 2024. The top two teams from each of the eleven groups—excluding Group B, which features Morocco—will qualify for the tournament.
The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON is Africa’s biggest sporting event, and the next edition will be held from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026 in Morocco.
Nigeria is always a favourite, but the Super Eagles is undergoing a rough transitioning since losing the final to to Ivory Coast.
Nigerian Football Association appointed Finidi George, who was the assistant coach in the last CAF finals the coach of the national team, but his appointment didn’t go to plan.
He resigned after just three matches. Lacklustre performances from the team mounted pressure on him.
The World Cup qualifiers was thrown into jeopardy, leading to complicated situation for the new coach.
According to him, he heard without proper briefing that the NFF was planning to appoint a foreign technical adviser, which prompted his resignation.
Victor Osimhen, the country’s star player was accused of lack of commitment, while it was reported the coach accused him of not wanting to play for him.
Victor caused a stir on social media when he angrily responded to the coach, which further threw the national team into chaos.
To shine in this CAF final, Nigerian team must first mend their broken fences, harmonise the dressing room and appoint a good coach.
Qualifying Groups:
Group A: Tunisia, Madagascar, Comoros, Gambia
Group B: Morocco, Gabon, Central African Republic, Lesotho
Group C: Egypt, Cape Verde, Mauritania, Botswana
Group D: Nigeria, Benin, Libya, Rwanda
Group E: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Togo, Liberia
Group F: Ghana, Angola, Sudan, Niger
Group G: Côte d’Ivoire, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Chad
Group H: DR Congo, Guinea, Tanzania, Ethiopia
Group I: Mali, Mozambique, Guinea Bissau, Eswatini
Group J: Cameroon, Namibia, Kenya, Zimbabwe
Group K: South Africa, Uganda, Congo, South Sudan
Group L: Senegal, Burkina Faso, Malawi, Burundi
The road to Morocco 2025 promises to be an exciting journey as teams from across the continent compete to be crowned the best in African football.
