By Dickson Bandera
The stage is set for an exhilarating journey towards AFCON Morocco 2025, following today’s qualifiers draw in Johannesburg, South Africa which saw the 48 teams casting into 12 groups.
Conducted by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the draw ceremony unveiled thrilling matchups across the continent, promising fierce football competition as teams vie for spots in the prestigious tournament.
In what promises to be a thrilling campaign, Zimbabwe was drawn into Group J alongside football powerhouse Cameroon, as well as COSAFA rivals Namibia and Kenya.
Zimbabwe has a rich history in the qualifying stages, frequently securing qualifications, but at the AFCON finals, they have never progressed past the group stages. The feature of Cameroon brings memories of AFCON history, notably the memorable Zimbabwe debut at the 2004 Tunisia Afcon where the Warriors scored three goals past Cameroon in a 8 goal thriller. Midfielder Esrom Nyandoro long range goal clinched the Goal of the Tournament Award.
Zimbabwe also seeks redemption against Kenya, following recent setbacks in the ongoing COSAFA tournament in South Africa, where Kenya shuttered Zimbabwe’s dreams with 2-0 win, that knocked Zimbabwe.
The draw sets the stage for intense battles as each team competes for one of the top two qualifying spots.
The AFCON Morocco 2025 will feature 48 nations across 12 groups. The top two teams from each group, excluding hosts Morocco’s group, will secure qualification.
The qualifiers will be played through home and away fixtures, ensuring a rigorous test of each team’s mettle.
Defending champions Cote d’Ivoire headline Group G, facing former champions Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad, setting the stage for another gripping showdown.
Senegal, another former champion, leads Group L alongside Burkina Faso, Malawi, and Burundi, while perennial contenders Nigeria face challenges from Benin, Libya, and Rwanda in Group D.
Host nation Morocco, with an automatic qualification berth, will aim to showcase their football prowess on home soil against Gabon, Central African Republic, and Lesotho.
The draw ceremony attracted football dignitaries and representatives from across the African continent, highlighting the tournament’s significance in African football.
Zimbabwean football enthusiasts who, of late have endured difficult times due to administrative chaos in the football fraternity that include hiring and firing of coaches, lack of allowances and football stadiums which has led the country to play their home matches in foreign countries, are eagerly anticipating the qualifiers. They hope the national team will navigate this competitive Group J to secure a place in AFCON Morocco 2025.
Qualifying matches are scheduled from September to November this year, with the AFCON Championship set to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
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: Cote 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
