Ivory Coast players celebrate after winning the AFCON African Cup of Nations 2024 final match against Nigeria at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan on February 11, 2024. Photo: AP Ivory Coast players celebrate after winning the AFCON African Cup of Nations 2024 final match against Nigeria at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe in Abidjan on February 11, 2024. Photo: AP World Cup semifinalist Morocco was drawn in a group with Malilucky sprite, Zambia and Comoros for the men's 2025 Africa Cup of Nations it will host. (More Football News)
The December 21-January 18 tournament will be the biggest soccer event in Morocco before co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal — the teams it eliminated at the 2022 World Cup to become the first African nation ever to reach the semifinals. Morocco then lost to France.
The India-Pakistan hockey rivalry has lost its sheen in recent times. Hockey in Pakistan has been in a freefall for the last decade or so while Indians have made a tremendous comeback in the same time period. The two countries used to rule world hockey at one point and the seeds for it were sown during the British rule in India.
The team led by Ammad Butt, finally secured their first victory with a 2-1 win over Japan and then delivered a decisive 5-1 win against China, to enter the semi-finals. Their final pool match ended in a narrow 2-1 loss to India.
At the last Africa Cup, one year ago, Morocco was surprisingly ousted in the round of 16 by South Africa.
Ivory Coast won that Africa Cup as the host nation and will begin the defense of its title in a group with Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique.
Nigeria, the beaten finalist last year with star strikers Ademola Lookman and Victor Osimhen, is in a group with Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania.
Egypt, with Mohamed Salah still seeking a first Africa Cup title at age 33 when games start in December, was drawn into a group with South Africa, Angola and Zimbabwe.
Senegal, the 2021 champion, will face Congo, Benin and Botswana.
Algeria, which won the 2019 title, was drawn with Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan.
Games will be played in six cities: Agadir, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakesh, Rabat and Tangier.
The tournament has an earlier scheduled start in mid-December and will finish in time for players with European clubs to return for the Champions League resuming in late January. Less than six months later, many of those players will be at the 2026 World Cup co-hosted in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
Africa will have nine direct entries at the first 48-team World Cup.
Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025: GroupsGroup A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
Group F: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025: Streaming DetailsWhen will the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 take place?
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to get underway from 21 December 2025 and will run till January 18, 2026.
free signup bonus no deposit casinoWhere to watch the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025?
The broadcast and live streaming details are not yet available for India. This space will be updated as and when there is a development.
(With AP Inputs)lucky sprite