AFCON 2025 Team Predictions

And as the 2025 tournaments draw closer, the talks are getting more intense. This installment promises excitement, filled with powerhouses, rising stars and very competitive groups.

As you read on, we will break down the qualified teams, expected contenders, surprise names, and the key players to watch. Our insights come from experts and performance allowance, so rest assured that you are getting the best.

AFCON Team Line Up For 2025

This table shows how the 24 qualified football teams are grouped for the tournament:

Group A

• Comoros
• Mali
• Morocco
• Zambia

Group B

• Angola
• Egypt
• South Africa
• Zimbabwe

Group C

• Nigeria
• Tanzania
• Tunisia
• Uganda

Group D

• Benin
• Botswana
• DR Congo
• Senegal

Group E

• Algeria
• Burkina Faso
• Equatorial Guinea
• Sudan

Group F

• Cameroon
• Gabon
• Ivory Coast
• Mozambique

These groups form the basis for our groups predictions, highlighting favourites, dark horses, and surprise teams.

Spotlight on the Key Teams

One thing we love about AFCON is how well it balances the teams. In this tournament, you get a good mix of powerhouses and rising nations. That explains why there are lots of upsets.

Our expert insights singles out several teams that stand out based on the form, key players and tactical superiority. The analysis we made stems from team performance during qualifiers, squad strength and past tournament performances. Let’s take them one after the other.

Favourites

A couple of teams have entered the tournament with strong squads and exceptional qualification stage performances. 

Senegal, for instance, went unbeaten in their group with five wins and one draw. So, they, alongside the hosts (Morocco), who are in solid form, are among the top favourites in AFCON predictions. Aside from those two teams, other favourites are Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria.

Dark Horses

These are the teams that show a degree of consistency, leaving room for upsets and surprises against bigger nations. Some teams to look out for their “dark horse potential” are Mali, Tunisia and South Africa.

Surprise Teams

One team that surprised everyone is Comoros. The 2025 AFCON will be their second ever, and they went through the qualifiers without losing a game, topping their group. Botswana is also making a second-time appearance since 2012. 

These two teams are surprise names and could possibly rank higher than their AFCON team predictions if things go their way.

Spotlight on the Key Teams

We have done the research for each team, and some of them stand in the spotlight for the AFCON team predictions for 2025. These sides have a good combination of individual brilliance and tactical strength, making them strong contenders in the tournament: Let’s look at each of them:

• Nigeria – Lethal attack: Nigeria’s strength is in its attack. They have powerful strikers in Victor Osimhen and Victor Boniface. Then on the wings, they have the likes of Ademola Lookman and Samuel Chukwueze to support. Even the midfield has very creative players, giving them an edge in both open play and set pieces.

• Senegal – Balanced and disciplined: The balance in Senegal’s team is not talked about enough. They have a good goalkeeper, solid midfielder, and persistent attack. This nation literally has a big name in every position, so they are definitely strong contenders

• Morocco – Tactical structure and technical skill: Apart from the home advantage from being the hosts, Morocco is tactically sound. They impressed on the global stage in the 2022 World Cup, and it will be the same for this tournament. Not to mention, they have the number 6 spot in the Balon d’Or rankings, so momentum is on their side, making them strong favourites in AFCON favourites predictions.

These teams are going to be very entertaining to watch and they’ll definitely set the tone for the tournament.

Team Selection Process

The qualification phase set the stage for all AFCON team predictions. It showed that even some powerhouses can fail at critical moments, while new contenders can go all out to make it through.

Several teams delivered surprising performances during the qualifier schedule. Senegal, for instance, had an unbeaten run with five wins and one draw. Their run showed consistency in both home and away fixtures. Comoros also shocked everyone with an unbeaten run, finishing with three wins and three losses.

We also saw a strong performance from Nigeria; they secured their spot early with very decisive wins and a strong goal difference. This is a reflection of their attacking prowess.

Morocco and Egypt also showed tactical brilliance with their structural play, relying on clinical finishing to win games. 

Then what is an AFCON without a few surprise qualifications? Apart from Comoros, we saw this in teams like Zambia and Equatorial Guinea who took advantage of their attacking moments while maintaining a solid defensive structure.

These performances influence both AFCON betting odds and our overall winner predictions.

FAQs about AFCON 2025 Teams

Here is a quick look at some frequently asked questions about the AFCON 2025:

Which AFCON teams are favourites for 2025?

Morocco, Senegal, Nigeria and Egypt stand out as early favourites. They’ve shown tactical consistency and good form going into the tournament.

Which AFCON teams are expected to be dark horses?

Some expected dark horses to look out for are Mali, Tunisia and South Africa.

Who are the key players in AFCON teams to watch?

Three key players that always have something to look forward to are Mohammed Salah of Egypt, Sadio Mane of Senegal, and Victor Oshimen of Nigeria.

How did the AFCON teams qualify for 2025?

The qualification was decided through a group-stage format. Those who finished on top of the group and best runner-ups qualified for the tournament.

Which AFCON teams have the toughest group stage?

Group B nations arguably have the toughest fixtures, consisting of Angola, Egypt, South Africa, and Zimbabwe.