The qualification period for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations officially concluded on November 19 after the final whistle of the Senegal vs Burundi match.
A total of 23 teams, in addition to the host nation Morocco, secured their spots in the tournament, which comes 10 months after the 2023 final between Ivory Coast and Nigeria.
The 35th edition of AFCON will be held in six cities across Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Originally scheduled for June and July, the tournament’s dates were moved due to the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup taking place at the same time.
One notable exclusion is Ghana, the four-time champions, who were unable to win any of their six matches and finished last in Group F.
This marks a new low for the West African giants, following their underwhelming performances in the past two editions.
Qualified teams include:
1. Comoros
2. Tunisia
3. Morocco
4. Gabon
5. Egypt
6. Botswana
7. Nigeria
8. Benin
9. Algeria
10. Equatorial Guinea
11. Sudan
12. Zambia
13. Ivory Coast
14. DR Congo
15. Tanzania
16. Mali
17. Mozambique
18. Cameroon
19. Zimbabwe
20. South Africa
21. Uganda
22. Senegal
23. Burkina Faso
In a setback for Kenya, the Harambee Stars were eliminated from the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Zimbabwe. The match, held in Polokwane, South Africa, saw Kenya fail to secure a win, dashing their hopes of qualifying for the tournament, which will be hosted in Morocco in late 2025.
Kenya had hopes of making a comeback after conceding an early goal in the 32nd minute by Zimbabwe’s Tawanda Maswanhise. However, striker Jonah Ayunga’s goal in the second half only earned them a draw, leaving their qualification hopes dashed.
Ghana’s national football team, the Black Stars, also suffered a shock failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco, ending a two-decade streak of continuous qualification.
The setback came after a disappointing 1-1 draw with Angola on Friday, effectively sealing their exclusion from next year’s tournament.
