Afcon 2025 qualifiers: Bafana in group K against Uganda, DRC and South Sudan
Africa Cup of Nations qualifications draw was held in Johannesburg on Thursday
04 July 2024 - 20:52
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Team Bafana Bafana during the 2024 COSAFA Cup match between South Africa and Eswatini at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on July 02, 2024 in Gqeberha, South Africa. Image: Michael Sheehan
Bafana Bafana were slotted in group K against Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifications draw held in Johannesburg on Thursday.
The two top finishers will qualify for the tournament hosted by Morocco in December and January next year. The first two rounds of the qualifiers are expected to kick off in September.
Hugo Broos’ team, bronze winners in 2023 Afcon in Ivory Coast earlier this year, avoided the big guns as they are now ranked among the top 10 nations on the continent.
The 2025 Afcon will be played between December and January because Fifa will have an expanded Fifa Club World Cup of 32 for the first time between June and July next year.
Defending champions Ivory Coast will face Zambia, Sierra Leone and Chad in group G, while hosts Morocco, who will play in the qualifiers as part of their preparation for the tournament, will be up against Gabon, Central African Republic and Lesotho in group B.
Emerse Fae, Ivory Coast coach, early this year said it was difficult to win the tournament as hosts.
“I believed [that they will win the cup]. I knew it was going to be the difficult, but we did it,” said Fae before the Thursday draw.
It will be the first time the Afcon is played over the festive season, and there could be huge battles between some African football associations and clubs in getting the players for the tournament, especially those plying their trade in Europe.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Afcon 2025 qualifiers: Bafana in group K against Uganda, DRC and South Sudan
Africa Cup of Nations qualifications draw was held in Johannesburg on Thursday
Image: Michael Sheehan
Bafana Bafana were slotted in group K against Uganda, Democratic Republic of Congo and South Sudan in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifications draw held in Johannesburg on Thursday.
The two top finishers will qualify for the tournament hosted by Morocco in December and January next year. The first two rounds of the qualifiers are expected to kick off in September.
Hugo Broos’ team, bronze winners in 2023 Afcon in Ivory Coast earlier this year, avoided the big guns as they are now ranked among the top 10 nations on the continent.
The 2025 Afcon will be played between December and January because Fifa will have an expanded Fifa Club World Cup of 32 for the first time between June and July next year.
Defending champions Ivory Coast will face Zambia, Sierra Leone and Chad in group G, while hosts Morocco, who will play in the qualifiers as part of their preparation for the tournament, will be up against Gabon, Central African Republic and Lesotho in group B.
Emerse Fae, Ivory Coast coach, early this year said it was difficult to win the tournament as hosts.
“I believed [that they will win the cup]. I knew it was going to be the difficult, but we did it,” said Fae before the Thursday draw.
It will be the first time the Afcon is played over the festive season, and there could be huge battles between some African football associations and clubs in getting the players for the tournament, especially those plying their trade in Europe.
FULL AFCON 2025 DRAW
GROUP A
GROUP B
GROUP C
GROUP D
GROUP E
GROUP F
GROUP G
GROUP H
GROUP I
GROUP J
GROUP K
GROUP L
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