Who needs what to qualify for Afcon 2025?

The race to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is heating up, with the final two rounds of qualifiers set to determine which 24 teams will compete in Morocco. By this time next week, the spots will be filled, but several key matchups remain, with high-stakes encounters on the horizon.

The biggest name in danger of missing out is Ghana, who need maximum points from their final two games and hope Sudan loses both of theirs to stand a chance of qualifying. The top two teams from each of the 12 qualifying groups will secure their places in the tournament, which is scheduled to run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. So far, former champions Algeria, Cameroon, DR Congo, Egypt, and Senegal, along with Angola, Burkina Faso, and hosts Morocco, have already secured their spots.

The Central African Republic (CAR) is the only team still in the hunt for a first-ever Nations Cup appearance, while Botswana and Rwanda are looking to make only their second-ever AFCON qualification.

Group A: Tunisia Faces a Tight Battle

Group A is incredibly tight, with all four teams still in the running. Tunisia leads the group, a point ahead of Comoros and two ahead of The Gambia, with Madagascar lagging behind. Tunisia, aiming for a record 17th consecutive AFCON appearance, recently appointed Kais Yaacoubi as interim coach after sacking Faouzi Benzarti. Madagascar needs to beat Tunisia on Thursday to keep their hopes alive, while The Gambia faces a crucial match against Comoros. Depending on the results, the final round of games could be decisive, with Tunisia hosting The Gambia and Comoros welcoming Madagascar.

Group B: Morocco and Gabon in Control

Morocco has already secured top spot in Group B, while Gabon is in a strong position to take second place. Gabon will advance with a win over Morocco or by matching the Central African Republic’s result against Lesotho. However, Gabon’s away match in CAR on Monday could be the ultimate decider.

Group C: Botswana’s Advantage

Botswana holds a three-point lead in Group C, ahead of Cape Verde and Mauritania. Botswana needs a win against Mauritania on Friday to strengthen their position, while Cape Verde plays Egypt, who have rested their star player Mohamed Salah. Head-to-head records could become crucial, especially in the final round, where Botswana faces Egypt and Mauritania hosts Cape Verde.

Group D: Nigeria Near Qualification

Nigeria is on the brink of qualification from Group D, needing just one point to secure their place. The Super Eagles were awarded a 3-0 walkover against Libya due to travel issues, but this decision is still under appeal. Either Benin or Rwanda is likely to join them, while Libya faces elimination. The Mediterranean Knights must beat both Rwanda and Benin and hope for favorable results in Nigeria’s matches to have any chance of qualifying.

Group E: Togo’s Must-Win Situation

In Group E, Togo must defeat Liberia on Wednesday to keep their qualification hopes alive, setting up a final showdown with Equatorial Guinea. However, Togo could qualify earlier if they manage to defeat Algeria. Ghana’s hopes are hanging by a thread in Group F, having only earned two points from their first four matches. They must beat Angola on Friday and hope Sudan loses to Niger. Ghana’s qualification is highly uncertain, especially after several key players, including Alexandre Djiku and Inaki Williams, withdrew from the squad.

Group G: Zambia and Sierra Leone Face Decider

In Group G, reigning AFCON champions Ivory Coast are close to securing qualification, but Zambia and Sierra Leone are still in contention. Zambia needs at least a draw against Ivory Coast on Friday to advance, having won the first meeting between the teams. Sierra Leone, meanwhile, could move level on points with Zambia if they beat Chad on Wednesday.

Group H: Guinea and Tanzania in Fight for Last Spot

Group H sees Guinea holding a two-point advantage over Tanzania, and the two teams will face off in the final round. Guinea needs to get past DR Congo, while Tanzania must win in Ethiopia to remain in contention.

Group I: Mozambique and Mali Lead the Charge

In Group I, Mozambique and Mali are tied at the top, with both teams needing to win their respective final matches to qualify. Guinea-Bissau, four points behind, still has an outside chance but needs to win their final two games to catch up.

Group J: Zimbabwe on Verge of Qualification

Zimbabwe is on track to qualify from Group J and will secure their place if they avoid defeat against Kenya on Friday. Kenya must win to keep their hopes alive and will then need Zimbabwe to lose to Cameroon to stay in the race.

Group K: Uganda’s Simple Task

Uganda only needs one point from their final two fixtures to qualify for the tournament, either against South Africa at home or away against Congo-Brazzaville. South Africa needs one win to seal their place, and Congo-Brazzaville must win both their remaining matches to stay in contention.

Group L: Burkina Faso and Senegal Already Through

Qualification in Group L is already settled, with Burkina Faso and Senegal having secured their spots in the tournament with two games to spare, leaving Burundi and Malawi eliminated.

With just a few days left in the qualifiers, the final matches will determine which nations will join the already-qualified teams in Morocco for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.