The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has unveiled plans for the highly anticipated preliminary draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco, scheduled to take place on Tuesday, 20 February 2024, in Cairo, Egypt. This announcement comes hot on the heels of the conclusion of the 34th AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire, shifting the focus to the upcoming tournament.
Set to commence at 1 p.m. Nigeria time, the draw will mark a significant step forward in the journey towards the next edition of Africa’s premier football tournament. The preliminary round of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will feature the eight lowest-ranked teams according to the FIFA ranking: Somalia, Djibouti, Sao Tome, Chad, Mauritius, South Sudan, Liberia, and Eswatini.
These teams will engage in a series of high-stakes matches, played on a home-and-away basis, during the FIFA window from March 18 to 26, 2024. The four victors from this preliminary round will earn coveted spots in the group stage, joining the 44 exempted teams in what promises to be a thrilling and fiercely contested tournament.
In a statement released on Monday, CAF expressed its excitement for the upcoming draw, highlighting the importance of this event in shaping the tournament’s trajectory. The draw is expected to generate significant interest and anticipation among football fans across the continent, as the road to Morocco 2025 officially begins.
With the stage set and the teams eager to make their mark, all eyes are on Cairo as the football world eagerly awaits the outcome of the preliminary draw, heralding the start of another chapter in African football history.