Ivory Coast will commence their quest to retain their Africa Cup of Nations championship against Mozambique, while the 2025 tournament will kick off with hosts Morocco facing the Comoros Islands in Rabat on December 21.
Ivory Coast, who emerged victorious in the previous edition held on their home soil 12 months ago, find themselves in Group F alongside five-time champions Cameroon, Gabon, and Mozambique, whom they will encounter in Marrakesh on December 24. The draw was conducted in Rabat on Monday, approximately 11 months prior to the commencement of the event. Morocco occupies the position of top seeds in Group A, where they will also compete against Mali and Zambia.

Egypt and South Africa have been drawn together in Group B, rekindling a long-standing rivalry in the tournament that dates back to 1996. Among the top seeds, Algeria appears to have been placed in the most advantageous group, Group E, alongside Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, and Sudan. Algeria suffered early exits in the last two tournaments.

The 24-team competition consists of six initial round groups, where the top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed finishers, will progress to the knockout stage. The tournament will take place in six Moroccan cities from 21st December to 18th January 2026. Here is the draw:
Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
Group F: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique.