Elephants drawn against Indomitable Lions

HOLDERS  Cote d’Ivoire have drawn Cameroon in the group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco.

At a glittering ceremony in Rabat, the Elephants were drawn in Group F, where they will also face Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang’s Gabon and Mozambique.

Africa’s biggest sporting event will begin on December 21 and run until January 18 2026.

The opening match will pit hosts Morocco against Comoros.

Nigeria, who lost to Cote d’ Ivoire in the AFCON 2023 final, will play in Group C alongside Tunisia.

In the same group, Ugan da and Tanzania, two of the co-hosts of the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (CHAN), have been pitted against each other. In other intriguing regional contests, three southern African teams will feature in Group B, with South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe all drawn together along with Mohamed Salah’s Egypt. Sudan, who qualified for Afcon 2025 despite the country being engulfed in a civil war, will face Algeria in Group E.

Moroccan legend Mustapha Hadji was among the celebrated footballing figures on hand to assist with the draw.

Alongside him was former Nottingham Forest and Tottenham defender Serge Aurier, twice an AFCON winner with Cote d’Ivoire.

Joseph Yobo, captain of Nigeria’s Afcon winning team in 2013, was also on hand to pick out the teams.

Senegal’s former Afcon-winning coach Aliou Cisse, who led the Teranga Lions to victory in 2021, also assisted, with his nation drawn in Group D alongside DR Congo.

The 24 teams have been split into six groups.

The winners and runners-up in each group, plus the best four third-placed teams, will reach the knock-out phase.

Morocco, who will also host this year’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), stepped in as Afcon 2025 hosts after Guinea were stripped of the tournament because of concerns about infrastructure and facilities.

Just hours before Monday’s draw began, the local organising committee announced that Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Fes and Tangier will host matches during Afcon 2025 across nine stadiums.

Four stadiums will be in the capital Rabat, where the final will be played at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah. — BBC.