Teams and players to watch at AFCON 2025
All eyes will be on the host country Morocco, whose team is widely regarded as a golden generation and will be desperate for an AFCON title to cement that legacy.
The North Africans have not won the tournament since 1976.
After making history as the first African team to reach the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup in 2022, Morocco suffered a shock exit in the 16th round of the last AFCON tournament in Ivory Coast despite being considered favourites.
They quickly put that disappointment behind them by becoming the first African side to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Head coach Walid Regragui hopes for a team captain and Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Ashraf Hakimithe reigning African Footballer of the Year, fit for the tournament. The Paris St. Germain defender suffered an ankle injury in November and now faces a race against time to be ready for the competition.
Another team putting significant pressure on the tournament is Nigeria. The three-time champion came painfully close in Ivory Coast and fell to the host country in the final. But a disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign, in which they failed to reach back-to-back tournaments, means only lifting the trophy in Morocco will be adequate compensation.
Captain William Troost-Ekongthe Player of the Tournament during the last AFCON, announced his retirement from international football a few weeks before this edition and passed the leadership baton to Galatasaray star Victor Osimhen and Atalanta forward Ademola Lookman, winners of the African Footballer of the Year awards in 2023 and 2024 respectively.
AFCON 2021 (played in 2022) champions Senegal are in Group D, alongside the Democratic Republic of Congo, who are just one intercontinental play-off against New Caledonia away from qualifying for their first FIFA World Cup in 51 years.
Famous names such as London 2012 Olympian Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly, Nicolas Jackson And Idrissa Gana Gueye were instrumental in securing Senegal’s place at the 2026 World Cup, where they kept eight clean sheets in ten qualifying matches. They will hope that same defensive solidity can take them all the way to Morocco.
Defending champions Ivory Coast is a different team to watch. Last January they took an unlikely route to glory on home soil, sacking their head coach after losing their first two group games. A crucial victory in the last group match, under the supervision of assistant coach Fae emergedsecured a third-place finish and a place in the knockouts, where they went on a fairytale run to claim their second continental title.
Faé has now been appointed on a permanent basis and guided the team through a flawless World Cup qualifying campaign. Inspired by Amad Diallo from Manchester United, the Elephants are widely tipped as contenders.
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