The last qualifying tickets for the 2025-2026 CAN in Morocco were won this Tuesday evening. We now know the 24 participants in the next African Cup, a list in which Ghana is significantly absent.
Tanzania, Botswana and Mozambique won the last three qualifying places on Tuesday for the next African Cup of Nations, which Morocco will host in December 2025-January 2026.
Tanzania snatched its qualification by defeating Guinea at home (1-0), which it overtook in the standings (10 points against 9) during the final day of the qualifiers in Group H. It joins the Democratic Republic of Congo which had already ensured its presence in Morocco, during the penultimate day.
In Group C, where Egypt, seven-time winner of the tournament, has already punched its ticket, Botswana qualified by holding the Pharaohs to a draw at home (1-1). In Group I, Mozambique qualified by winning against Guinea-Bissau (2-1). Mali was already qualified.
A first absence for the Black Stars in two decades
The big surprise of these qualifiers came from Benghazi (Libya), where Sudan validated its ticket on Monday evening after having held on to Angola, already qualified (0-0), and signed its return to the CAN to the detriment of Ghana, beaten at home by modest Niger (2-1). The Black Stars, four-time African champions, will miss the tournament for the first time in two decades.
The 2025 edition of the African Cup of Nations will take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026. Initially scheduled for the summer of 2025 so as not to deprive many European clubs of their African internationals in January-February, it was postponed so as not to coincide with the 32-team Club World Cup that Fifa is organizing in the United States from June 15 to July 13.
The 24 nations qualified for CAN 2025:
- Morocco
- South Africa
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benign
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Comoros
- Democratic Republic of Congo
- Ivory Coast
- Egypt
- Gabon
- Equatorial Guinea
- Mali
- Mozambique
- Nigeria
- Uganda
- Senegal
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
Senegal
