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Caf African Cup of Nations draw: Date, time, teams, seeding, where to watch & how it works

Everything you need to know about the upcoming Afcon draw.

The 35th edition of the Afcon will take place from December 21 to January 18, 2026, in Morocco.

Before the tournament kicks off, the highly anticipated group stage draw is scheduled for Monday, January 27, at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat.

Reigning champions Ivory Coast will be keen to see the path they must navigate to defend their title.

Fans across the continent eagerly await the outcome, as it will set the stage for Africa’s biggest football spectacle.

The draw promises excitement as teams discover their fate and begin preparations for the prestigious tournament.

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  • Draw Time

    Venue: Mohammed V National Theatre
    Date: Monday, 27 January 
    Time: 19h00 local time (18h00 GMT/ 20h00 Cairo time)
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  • Ronwen Williams, Mamelodi Sundowns, December 2024Backpagepix

    Where to watch the Afcon draw - live stream & TV channel

    Online StreamingTV Channel
    DStv.com/DStv Now AppSuperSport TV's PSL Channel 202

  • Caf's draw promo

  • Achraf Hakimi Morocco 2024Getty Images

    The procedure of the draw will be as follows:

    The 24 qualified teams will be drawn into six groups each containing four sides, with host nation Morocco placed at the head of Group A.

    Current Afcon champions Cote d’Ivoire will also head one of the other five pools as they sit in Pot 1.

    The ball of Morocco will be drawn first from Pot 1, and it will go to position A1

    The balls from Pot 4 will be drawn sequentially to positions A4, B4, C4, D4, E4, F4.

    The balls from Pot 3 will be drawn sequentially to positions A3, B3, C3, D3, E3, F3.

    The balls from Pot 2 will be drawn sequentially to positions A2, B2, C2, D2, E2, F2.

    The remaining balls from Pot 1 (minus Morocco) will be drawn sequentially to positions B1, C1, D1, E1, F1.

    The top two teams in each pool as well as the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the round of 16 at the Afcon 2025.

  • Seko Fofana Frank Kessie Senegal Ivory Coast AFCON 2023GOAL AR / Getty

    Team seedings and why

    As aforementioned, the 24 qualified teams will be drawn into six groups each containing four sides, with host nation Morocco placed at the head of Group A.

    Current Afcon champions Cote d’Ivoire will also head one of the other five pools as they sit in Pot 1.
    The remainder of the qualified teams will be placed in Pots 1-4 based on their FIFA World Ranking as of 19 December, 2024, and as follows:

    Pot 1: Morocco (A1), Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and Cote d’Ivoire
    Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo and Burkina Faso
    Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea and Benin
    Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe and Botswana

  • Bafana Bafana vs South Sudan

    How to qualify for last 16

    The top two teams in each pool as well as the four best third-placed teams will qualify for the round of 16 at the Afcon 2025.

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