2025 AFCON qualifier draw: Nigeria to play Benin, Libya, Rwanda in Group D

Published by

Samuel Bolaji

The draw for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifying competition took place in Johannesburg on Thursday, setting the stage for an exciting series of matchups across the continent.

Nigeria, drawn in Group D, will play against Benin, Libya, and Rwanda as the country seeks to reclaim its dominance in African football.

Here’s how the groups are shaping up:

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Group A

Tunisia
Madagascar
Comoros
Gambia

Group B

Morocco (hosts)
Gabon
Central African Republic
Lesotho

Group C

Egypt
Cape Verde
Mauritania
Botswana

Group D

Nigeria
Benin
Libya
Rwanda

Group E

Algeria
Equatorial Guinea
Togo
Liberia

Group F

Ghana
Angola
Sudan
Niger

Group G

Ivory Coast (holders)
Zambia
Sierra Leone
Chad

Group H

Democratic Republic of Congo
Guinea
Tanzania
Ethiopia

Group I

Mali
Mozambique
Guinea-Bissau
Eswatini

Group J

Cameroon
Namibia
Kenya
Zimbabwe

Group K

South Africa
Uganda
Congo Brazzaville
South Sudan

Group L

Senegal
Burkina Faso
Malawi
Burundi

Important Dates:

Matchdays 1, 2: September 2-10, 2024
Matchdays 3, 4: October 7-15, 2024
Matchdays 5, 6: November 11-15, 2024

Key Notes:

Preliminary Winners: Liberia, Eswatini, South Sudan, and Chad won their preliminary ties and join the other 44 qualifiers who received byes.
Qualification: Winners and runners-up from each group will qualify for the tournament. However, in Group B, only the best-placed team among Gabon, Central African Republic, and Lesotho will secure a place, as Morocco qualifies automatically as the host nation.
Tournament Dates: Morocco will host the Africa Cup of Nations from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

With the draw complete, fans can look forward to an exciting journey as their teams battle it out for a spot in Africa’s premier football tournament.

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Samuel Bolaji

Samuel Bolaji, an alumnus/Scholar of the Commonwealth Scholarship Commission, holds a Master of Letters in Publishing Studies from the University of Stirling, Scotland, United Kingdom, and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Lagos, Nigeria. He is an experienced researcher, multimedia journalist, writer, and Editor. Ex-Chief Correspondent, ex-Acting Op-Ed Editor, and ex-Acting Metro Editor at The PUNCH Newspaper, Samuel is currently the Editor at Arbiterz.