The journey towards qualification for the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 intensified on Thursday, July 4, 2024, as CAF conducted the official draw for the qualifiers in Johannesburg, South Africa.
A total of 48 nations will vie for 24 spots in the 35th edition of Africa’s most prestigious football competition.
Emerse Fae, coach of Cote d’Ivoire, expressed his satisfaction with the draw, noting their familiarity with opponents Zambia.
“I am satisfied because we are going to play against Zambia, a team that we know very well. In our last qualifying campaign, we lost against them. We know what mistakes to avoid,” Fae said.
He also appreciated the reduced travel burden due to geographically closer opponents, although he acknowledged the competitiveness of African teams.
Leslie Notši, coach of Lesotho, remarked on the challenge of having the host nation, Morocco, in their group.
“The draw is very interesting because when you have the host in your group, it means they qualify automatically for the tournament, and you have to double your efforts to secure the remaining qualification spot,” Notši stated.
He also emphasized the importance of performing well in home games and drawing inspiration from past matches against strong teams.
Mauritania’s coach, Amir Abdou, described their group as complicated, with Egypt as a formidable contender.
“Egypt will be the big contender for qualification. They have a good track record that speaks volumes. Seven times African champions – that’s no small thing,” Abdou noted.
He also mentioned the challenge posed by Cape Verde and Botswana, expressing a determination to achieve their fourth AFCON participation.
Chad’s coach, Kévin Nicaise, highlighted the difficulty of facing the reigning African champions and the open nature of their group.
“We are already having the reigning African champions facing the last qualified team in the FIFA rankings. These will definitely be very difficult matches played at high intensity. We will fight to defend our nation’s pride,” Nicaise said.
Badou Zaki, coach of Niger, expressed confidence in their chances of qualifying.
“For me, Ghana is a football country with a team that is blessed with great professionals. But this is not the team of 5 or 6 years ago. Even at home, they can lose,” Zaki commented.
He also recognized the strengths of Angola and Sudan, stressing the importance of knowing their own strengths to go far.
The qualifiers promise to be a thrilling and competitive journey as teams from across the continent aim to secure their place in Morocco for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
