Africa's top nations set to battle for AFCON 2025 crown

Host nation and top ranked African side Morocco will be largely expected to dominate in Group A against Mali, Zambia and the Comoros.

The Moroccans will be targeting their second Africa Cup of Nations title following their previous victory in the 1976 edition.

The Atlas Lions are also unbeaten in previous AFCON fixtures against all three teams in Group A.

Zambia have won the tournament once [2012] whilst Mali and Comoros are yet to win an Africa Cup of Nations title.

CAF Rankings:

Morocco (1st), Mali (8th), Zambia (18th), Comoros (30th)

Key players:

Achraf Hakimi [Paris Saint-Germain], Brahim Diaz [Real Madrid] - Morocco

Youssouf M'Changama [Al-Batin], Faiz Selemani [Qatar SC] - Comoros

Yves Bissouma [Tottenham Hotspur], Amadou Haidara [RB Leipzig] - Mali

Patson Daka [Leicester City], Fashion Sakala [Al-Fayha] - Zambia

Egypt will be targeting top spot in Group B ahead of a resurgent South Africa and fellow Southern African sides Zambia and Angola.

The seven-time AFCON champions Egypt are undoubtedly the favourites from Group B but have yet to win the title since the 2010 edition.

The Pharaohs have faced 1996 champions Bafana Bafana on three previous occasions in the tournament, winning the first two matches but losing their last clash in 2019.

Meanwhile, Angola and Zimbabwe have lost all four combined fixtures against Egypt in AFCON competitions and have never won a continental title.

CAF Rankings:

Egypt (3rd), South Africa (11th), Angola (19th), Zimbabwe (33rd)

Key players:

Mohamed Salah [Liverpool], Omar Marmoush [Manchester City] - Egypt

Lyle Foster [Burnley], Teboho Mokoena [Mamelodi Sundowns] - South Africa

Gelson Dala [Al-Wakrah], Zito Luvumbo [Cagliari] - Angola

Tawanda Chirewa [Wolverhampton Wanderers], Divine Lunga [Mamelodi Sundowns] - Zimbabwe

READ MORE: A look back at the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations: Ivory Coast lift trophy on home soil

Multiple AFCON champions Nigeria and one time winners Tunisia will be favourites to progress from Group C which also consists of Tanzania and Uganda.

The Super Eagles will also look to avenge defeats in their last encounters in the Africa Cup of Nations against Tunisia (2022) and Uganda (1978), having won their only previous clash against Tanzania (1980).

CAF Rankings:

Nigeria (5th), Tunisia (6th), Uganda (18th), Tanzania (32nd)

Key players:

Victor Osimhen [Galatasaray], Ademola Lookman [Atalanta] - Nigeria

Ellys Skhiri [Eintracht Frankfurt], Ali Abdi [Nice] - Tunisia

Khalid Aucho [Singida Black Stars], Travis Mutyaba [CS Sfaxien] - Uganda

Mbwana Samatta [Le Havre], Simon Msuva [Al-Talaba SC] - Tanzania

Senegal are expected to dominate Group D despite the presence of a strong DR Congo and the less fancied Benin and Botswana.

The Lions of Teranga have previously won the tournament once with the Leopards winning AFCON twice back in 1968 (as Congo-Kinshasa) and 1974 (as Zaire).

CAF Rankings:

Senegal (2nd), DR Congo (9th), Benin (21st), Botswana (40th)

Key players:

Pape Matar Sarr [Tottenham Hotspur], Nicolas Jackson [Bayern Munich] - Nigeria

Meschak Elia [Alanyaspor], Noah Sadiki [Sunderland] - Tunisia

Steve Mounie [Alanyaspor], Aiyegun Tosin [Lorient] - Benin

Thatayaone Ditlhokwe [Al-Ittihad], Gape Mohutsiwa [McOran] - Botswana

Two-time AFCON title winners Algeria are expected to advance to the knockout stages from Group E which consists of Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan, who have never won the tournament.

However, Les Fennecs are winless in their last two AFCON matches against Burkina Faso and lost their only previous match in the tournament against the Guineans in 2022.

Sudan will be facing Algeria for the first time in the competition.

CAF Rankings:

Algeria (4th), Burkina Faso (12th), Equatorial Guinea (27th), Sudan (36th)

Key players:

Rayan Ait-Nouri [Manchester City], Mohamed Amoura [Wolfsburg] - Algeria

Edmond Tapsoba [Bayer Leverkusen], Bertrand Traore [Sunderland] - Burkina Faso

Emilio Nsue [CF Intercity], Pedro Obiang [Monza] - Equatorial Guinea

Mohamed Abdelrhman [Al Hilal OMD], Abuaagla Abdalla [Al Ahly] - Sudan

Defending AFCON champions Ivory Coast will be looking to win their third AFCON fixture in a row against five-time winners Cameroon, a clash that will see Manchester United wingers Amad Diallo and Bryan Mbeumo pitted against each other.

The Elephants have won the tournament on three occasions and have defeated Mozambique in their two previous group stage fixtures but are yet to face Gabon in the continental showpiece.

CAF Rankings:

Ivory Coast (7th), Cameroon (10th), Gabon (15th), Mozambique (26th)

Key players:

Yan Diomande [RB Leipzig], Amad Diallo [Manchester United] - Ivory Coast

Bryan Mbeumo [Manchester United], Carlos Baleba [Brighton and Hove Albion] - Cameroon

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang [Marseille], Mario Lemina [Galatasaray] - Gabon

Reinildo Mandava [Sunderland], Geny Catamo [Sporting CP] - Mozambique 

READ MORE: Who are the favourites to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations?