AFCON 2025 teams, groups, match schedule, bracket for Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco originally appeared on The Sporting News .Preferred Source by clicking here .
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations takes place across December this year and January 2026 in Morocco.
Ivory Coast enter the tournament as defending champions after winning the 2023 final last February against Nigeria.
The draw for the group stage was held in Rabat, the host city of the final, on January 27. The 24 teams were placed into six groups of four, from which the top two — plus the best three teams that finish third in their pools — will progress to the knockout phase.
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Teams qualified for AFCON 2025 A total of 24 nations qualified for the AFCON finals. The teams were split into four pots for the draw, with one team from each pot placed into each of the groups.
Pot 1 Pot 2 Pot 3 Pot 4 Morocco (hosts) Cameroon Gabon Mozambique Senegal Mali Angola Comoros Egypt Tunisia Zambia Tanzania Algeria South Africa Uganda Sudan Nigeria DR Congo Equatorial Guinea Zimbabwe Ivory Coast (holders) Burkina Faso Benin Botswana
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AFCON 2025 group stage draw, schedule, standings The top two teams from each group, plus the three best third-place nations, will qualify for the Round of 16.
As host nation, Morocco were automatically placed into Group A and will play in the tournament’s first game on December 21.
Group A Team Matches W-D-L GD Pts. 1. Morocco (hosts) 1 1-0-0 +2 3 2. Mali 1 0-1-0 0 1 3. Zambia 1 0-1-0 0 1 4. Comoros 1 0-0-1 -2 0
Group A match schedule Date Time (CET) Match Venue Dec. 21, 2025 8 p.m. Morocco 2-0 Comoros Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat Dec. 22, 2025 3 p.m. Mali 1-1 Zambia Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca Dec. 26, 2025 6:30 p.m. Zambia vs. Comoros Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca Dec. 26, 2025 9 p.m. Morocco vs. Mali Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat Dec. 29, 2025 8 p.m. Zambia vs. Morocco Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat Dec. 29, 2025 8 p.m. Comoros vs. Mali Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca
Group B Team Matches W-D-L GD Pts. 1. Egypt 1 1-0-0 +1 3 2. South Africa 1 1-0-0 +1 3 3. Zimbabwe 1 0-0-1 -1 0 4. Angola 1 0-0-1 -1 0
Group B match schedule Date Time (CET) Match Venue Dec. 22, 2025 6 p.m. South Africa 2-1 Angola Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh Dec. 22, 2025 8 p.m. Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe Adrar Stadium, Agadir Dec. 26, 2025 1:30 p.m. Angola vs. Zimbabwe Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh Dec. 26, 2025 4 p.m. Egypt vs. South Africa Adrar Stadium, Agadir Dec. 29, 2025 5 p.m. Angola vs. Egypt Adrar Stadium, Agadir Dec. 29, 2025 5 p.m. Zimbabwe vs. South Africa Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh
Group C Team Matches W-D-L GD Pts. 1. Tunisia 1 1-0-0 +3 3 2. Nigeria 1 1-0-0 +1 3 3. Tanzania 1 0-0-1 -1 0 4. Uganda 1 0-0-1 -3 0
Group C match schedule Date Time (CET) Match Venue Dec. 23, 2025 6:30 p.m. Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania Fez Stadium, Fez Dec. 23, 2025 9 p.m. Tunisia 3-0 Uganda Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympic Annex St., Rabat Dec. 27, 2025 6:30 p.m. Uganda vs. Tanzania Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympic Annex St., Rabat Dec. 27, 2025 8 p.m. Nigeria vs. Tunisia Fez Stadium, Fez Dec. 30, 2025 5 p.m. Uganda vs. Nigeria Fez Stadium, Fez Dec. 30, 2025 5 p.m. Tanzania vs. Tunisia Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympic Annex St., Rabat
Group D Team Matches W-D-L GD Pts. 1. Senegal 1 1-0-0 +3 3 2. DR Congo 1 1-0-0 +1 3 3. Benin 1 0-0-1 -1 0 4. Botswana 1 0-0-1 -3 0
Group D match schedule Date Time (CET) Match Venue Dec. 23, 2025 1:30 p.m. DR Congo 1-0 Benin Al Barid Stadium, Rabat Dec. 23, 2025 4 p.m. Senegal 3-0 Botswana Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier Dec. 27, 2025 1:30 p.m. Benin vs. Botswana Al Barid Stadium, Rabat Dec. 27, 2025 4 p.m. Senegal vs. DR Congo Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier Dec. 30, 2025 8 p.m. Benin vs. Senegal Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier Dec. 30, 2025 8 p.m. Botswana vs. DR Congo Al Barid Stadium, Rabat
Group E Team Matches W-D-L GD Pts. 1. Algeria 0 0-0-0 0 0 2. Burkina Faso 0 0-0-0 0 0 3. Equatorial Guinea 0 0-0-0 0 0 4. Sudan 0 0-0-0 0 0
Group E match schedule Date Time (CET) Match Venue Dec. 24, 2025 1:30 p.m. Burkina Faso vs. Equatorial Guinea Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca Dec. 24, 2025 4 p.m. Algeria vs. Sudan Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat Dec. 28, 2025 4 p.m. Equatorial Guinea vs. Sudan Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca Dec. 28, 2025 6:30 p.m. Algeria vs. Burkina Faso Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat Dec. 31, 2025 5 p.m. Equatorial Guinea vs. Algeria Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat Dec. 31, 2025 5 p.m. Sudan vs. Burkina Faso Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca
Group F Team Matches W-D-L GD Pts. 1. Ivory Coast 0 0-0-0 0 0 2. Cameroon 0 0-0-0 0 0 3. Gabon 0 0-0-0 0 0 4. Mozambique 0 0-0-0 0 0
Group F match schedule Date Time (CET) Match Venue Dec. 24, 2025 6:30 p.m. Ivory Coast vs. Mozambique Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh Dec. 24, 2025 8 p.m. Cameroon vs. Gabon Adrar Stadium, Agadir Dec. 28, 2025 1:30 p.m. Gabon vs. Mozambique Adrar Stadium, Agadir Dec. 28, 2025 8 p.m. Ivory Coast vs. Cameroon Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh Dec. 31, 2025 8 p.m. Gabon vs. Ivory Coast Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh Dec. 31, 2025 8 p.m. Mozambique vs. Cameroon Adrar Stadium, Agadir
When is the AFCON 2025 final? The final takes place in Rabat on January 18, 2026.
AFCON 2025 knockout bracket, schedule The top two teams from each group, plus the three best third-place nations, comprise the 16 sides that enter the knockout stage.
Round of 16 Date Time (CET) Match Venue Jan. 3, 2026 6 p.m. Group D winners vs. 3rd-place B/E/F Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier Jan. 3, 2026 8:30 p.m. Group A runners-up vs. Group C runners-up Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca Jan. 4, 2026 6 p.m. Group A winners vs. 3rd-place C/D/E Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat Jan. 4, 2026 8:30 p.m. Group B runners-up vs. Group F runners-up Al Barid Stadium, Rabat Jan. 5, 2026 6 p.m. Group B winners vs. 3rd-place A/C/D Adrar Stadium, Agadir Jan. 5, 2026 8:30 p.m. Group C winners vs. 3rd-place A/B/F Fez Stadium, Fez Jan. 6, 2026 6 p.m. Group E winners vs. Group D runners-up Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat Jan. 6, 2026 8:30 p.m. Group F winners vs. Group E runners-up Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh
Quarterfinals Date Time (CET) Match Venue Jan. 9, 2026 6 p.m. Winners RO16 2 vs. Winners RO16 1 Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier Jan. 9, 2026 8:30 p.m. Winners RO16 4 vs. Winners RO16 3 Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat Jan. 10, 2026 6 p.m. Winners RO16 7 vs. Winners RO16 6 Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh Jan. 10, 2026 8:30 p.m. Winners RO16 5 vs. Winners RO16 8 Adrar Stadium, Agadir
Semifinals Date Time (CET) Match Venue Jan. 14, 2026 6 p.m. Winners QF 1 vs. Winners QF 4 Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier Jan. 14, 2026 8:30 p.m. Winners QF 3 vs. Winners QF 2 Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat
Third-place playoff Date Time (CET) Match Venue Jan. 17, 2026 8 p.m. Losers SF 1 vs. Losers SF 2 Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca
Final Date Time (CET) Match Venue Jan. 18, 2026 8 p.m. Winners SF 1 vs. Winners SF 2 Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat
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