2025 AFCON Qualification Group Fixtures
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualification matches are structured with 48 teams competing for 24 spots in the final tournament, which will be hosted in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Here’s a summary of the qualification process and some key fixtures based on the information available up to September 3, 2024:
- Qualifying Format: The qualifiers are organized into 12 groups, each containing 4 teams. The top two teams from each group will qualify for the AFCON 2025.
- Draw and Start Dates: The draw for the qualifiers was set to take place on July 4, 2024, in Johannesburg, South Africa. The qualification matches began in September 2024.
- Notable Fixtures:
- Nigeria’s Matches: Nigeria, known as the Super Eagles, started their campaign against Benin Republic on September 7, 2024, at the Godswill Akpabio Stadium, followed by a match against Rwanda on September 10, 2024, in Kigali.
- South Africa (Bafana Bafana): They opened their account against Uganda on September 6, 2024, at Orlando Stadium, and then faced South Sudan on September 10, 2024.
- Group Stages: Matches are scheduled throughout September, October, and November 2024. For instance, South Africa’s group includes matches against Uganda, Congo, and South Sudan, with specific dates mentioned for September and October.
- Public Sentiment and Team Preparations: There’s evident excitement and anticipation among fans and teams. Coaches like Hugo Broos of South Africa expressed confidence in their team’s preparation and performance expectations for the qualifiers.
This summary captures the essence of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, highlighting key dates, the format, and some specific matches, reflecting the information available from both official announcements and public sentiment as of early September 2024.
