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.
Nigeria
0
0-0-0
0
0
2.
Tunisia
0
0-0-0
0
0
3.
Uganda
0
0-0-0
0
0
4.
Tanzania
0
0-0-0
0
0
Group C match schedule
Date Time (CET) Match Venue
Dec. 23, 2025
6:30 p.m.
Nigeria vs. Tanzania
Fez Stadium, Fez
Dec. 23, 2025
9 p.m.
Tunisia vs. 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
