The Super Eagles of Nigeria will discover their opponents for the qualification race of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in Morocco when the draw is conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa on Thursday afternoon.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially released the draw procedures for its flagship competition qualifiers.
48 African nations will be grouped to determine who qualifies for the 35th edition of the continent’s premier football tournament.
The teams will be divided into four pots of 12, based on the latest FIFA rankings issued on June 20, 2024. The highest-ranked nations will occupy Pot 1, followed by the next highest in Pots 2, 3, and 4.
The draw will result in 12 groups of four teams each (Group A to L). The top team and the runner-up from each of the 11 groups not involving tournament hosts Morocco will qualify for the competition.
Qualifying matches will occur during the FIFA windows in September, October, and November this year. All of Nigeria’s opponents in the ongoing 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying race—Benin Republic, Lesotho, Rwanda, South Africa, and Zimbabwe—will also be part of Thursday’s draw.
The road to the 2025 AFCON begins soon, with matches spread across the upcoming FIFA international windows, ensuring a busy and competitive period for the Super Eagles.
