Warriors face uncertain path in 2025 AFCON draw

Philemon Jambaya

Assistant Editor

Following a disappointing exit from the Cosafa Cup, the Zimbabwean national team will discover their opponents for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers today. The Confederation of African Football will conduct the draw in Johannesburg, South Africa.

This marks the Warriors' return to the AFCON qualifiers after missing the previous edition due to a FIFA ban. They are among 48 nations vying for a spot in the continental showpiece scheduled for Morocco.

Joining them are the winners of the preliminary stage - Chad, Eswatini, Liberia, and South Sudan.

The draw, held at the SuperSport studios, will divide the 48 teams into 12 groups of four. The top two teams from each group will progress to the finals in Morocco.

Zimbabwe's ranking of 38th in Africa puts them in Pot 4, meaning they face a potentially challenging draw. They'll be placed against one team from each of the three higher-ranked pots.

The qualifiers kick off in September's FIFA window (September 2nd-10th) with two matches. Two more follow in October (October 7th-15th), and the final two take place in November (November 11th-19th).

The confirmed participants include reigning champions Cote d'Ivoire, alongside powerhouses like Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, and Senegal.

While the tournament itself is expected in July and August of 2025, CAF has yet to finalize the dates. Scheduling conflicts with FIFA's Club World Cup expansion may necessitate a push into early 2026. CAF prioritizes player workload and aims to choose dates that minimize strain on Africa's top footballers.

The 2023 AFCON champions, Ivory Coast, secured their title in February of this year after defeating Nigeria in the finals. The tournament was held earlier than usual due to concerns about extreme heat during the originally planned mid-2023 slot.