The Africa Cup of Nations (Dec. 21 to Jan 18) takes place in Morocco, with Ivory Coast the defending champions and the likes of South Africa looking to impress ahead of the FIFA World Cup next year.
Here is ESPN’s guide to all the teams at AFCON.
Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
Morocco
The 2022 FIFA World Cup semi-finalists were shocked by South Africa in the round of 16 at AFCON 2023 in Côte d’Ivoire – which was held in early 2024. Walid Regragui remains as head coach and the Atlas Lions are favourites to settle the score and clinch the title on home soil.
Key player(s): Achraf Hakimi made the squad despite an injury sustained in Paris Saint-Germain’s UEFA Champions League clash with Bayern Munich. The right-back would ordinarily be the main man, but if not fit for the opening games, the biggest name in the team will be Real Madrid winger/attacking midfielder Brahim Díaz.
Prediction: Champions
Mali
One of the trickiest customers at AFCON 2023, Mali were unlucky to lose to hosts and eventual champions Côte d’Ivoire in extra time in the quarter-finals. Blessed in abundance with midfield talent, Les Aigles are likely to qualify for the knockout rounds and could cause upsets once they enter the bracket.
Key player(s): Like Morocco, Mali head into the pre-tournament stretch with their star player recovering from injury. Tottenham’s Yves Bissouma is the man to watch if he can recapture his best form, having struggled recently with injury, personal issues and a lack of minutes even when fit.
Even if Bissouma — who made the final squad despite his struggles — does not go to the tournament in peak shape, it is worth keeping an eye on fellow midfielders Mohamed Camara (Al Sadd) and Amadou Haïdara (RB Leipzig) – as well as Beşiktaş striker El Bilal Touré.
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Zambia
After parting ways with former Chelsea boss Avram Grant after their failure to qualify for the FIFA World Cup, Chipolopolo will be led into the tournament by former centre-back Moses Sichone. They completed one of AFCON’s greatest underdog triumphs by winning the 2012 edition in Gabon, but would likely be content with a knockout round appearance in this instance.
Key Player: Patson Daka (Leicester City)
Prediction: Group stage
Comoros
Comoros may not have a star-studded squad on paper, but after pipping Tunisia to top spot in their qualifying group – which also included Gambia and Madagascar – they cannot be written off.
Prediction: Group stage
Key Player: Zaydou Youssouf (Al-Fateh)
Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Egypt
The Pharaohs are the most successful team in AFCON history with seven titles. Their last was in 2010, but they have been runners-up twice since and there could hardly be a better way for Mo Salah to silence his doubters than by achieving continental glory.
Key Player: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Prediction: Semi-finals
South Africa
Bafana Bafana are the dark horses for this tournament after building a strong, cohesive, disciplined team under Hugo Broos. Buoyed by a strong domestic league – the Betway Premiership – South Africa have seen a steady supply of young players acclimatise to continental competition through Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates’ recent success.
They do not have the most talented team on paper, but they have chemistry, depth and renewed confidence after qualifying for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Key Player: Lyle Foster (Burnley)
Prediction: Final
Angola
A sleeping giant of African football, Palancas Negras are not to be written off after making the quarter-finals of AFCON 2023. Their league is not quite as strong as South Africa’s, but they do have capable locally-based players in addition to stars abroad to call upon.
Key Player: David Carmo (Real Oviedo, on loan from Nottingham Forest)
Prediction: Round of 16
Zimbabwe
Hampered by administrative issues off the pitch more so even than most of their competitors, Zimbabwe have a relatively strong team on it. They had a dismal FIFA World Cup qualifying campaign, but recently managed to secure a draw with South Africa that demonstrated their capability. Michael Nees has recently been replaced as head coach by Marian Marinica.
Wolves’ Marshall Munetsi has notably been omitted from the squad despite feeling he had recovered enough from his injury to participate. However, there are still some experienced players within the group.
Key Player: Tawanda Chirewa (Wolverhampton Wanderers)
Prediction: Group stage
Nigeria
The Super Eagles have had their preparation disrupted by off-field issues, including a dispute between players and the Nigerian Football Federation (NFF) over unpaid bonuses which was resolved in November – although it is unclear on what terms.
Éric Chelle has stabilised performances on the pitch since taking charge in January even if he has been powerless to solve some problems off it. There are few teams if any who can match Nigeria for talent if all else is under control.
Key Player: Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray)
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Tunisia
The Carthage Eagles enter this tournament some distance away from being considered capable of repeating their 2004 triumph. However, they remain a strong side bolstered by an exceptionally competitive Ligue Professionnelle 1 and helped by several players in Europe.
Key Player: Hannibal Mejri (Burnley)
Prediction: Round of 16
Uganda
The Cranes have qualified for the AFCON for the first time since 2019 and finished only one point behind group winners South Africa despite lacking star quality to match Bafana Bafana. Under the experienced Paul Put, Uganda will likely target a knockout appearance to match their return six years ago, when they were eliminated in the round of 16.
Key Player: Baba Alhassan (FCSB)
Prediction: Group stage
Tanzania
With striker Mbwana Samatta no longer the player he was and no longer a certainty on the Taifa Stars team sheet, this year’s AFCON arrives at a difficult time for them. However, they still have players capable of putting in huge shifts and sneaking into the knockout rounds.
Key Player: Novatus Miroshi (Göztepe)
Prediction: Group stage
Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
Senegal
The Lions of Teranga are assembling a squad capable of replicating the heights of their golden era. The likes of Sadio Mané and Kalidou Koulibaly are still in the fold, but the likes of Nicolas Jackson and Ismaïla Sarr are reaching the peak of their powers and ready to take over the mantle of leading the team. The AFCON 2021 winners (at a tournament held belatedly in 2022) head into this tournament at a key transition point, but certainly not as a team that should be counted out.
Key Player: Sadio Mané (Al-Nassr)
Prediction: Semi-finals
DR Congo
After finishing fourth at AFCON 2023, DR Congo are among the secret favourites this time and will fancy themselves to go two steps further. There are few African teams who can rival Les Léopards for overseas-based talent and talented coaches continue to emerge in their ranks locally. They have not had the consistency in recent years of the likes of South Africa and Morocco, but should still be watched closely.
Key Player: Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham United)
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Benin
Led by experienced head coach Gernot Rohr, Les Guépards are capable of upsetting any of the big guns on their day. Benin lack star power but came within a whisker of qualifying for the FIFA World Cup before defeat to Nigeria on the final day of their campaign sent South Africa through to the tournament and the Super Eagles to the playoffs.
Key Player: Andréas Hountondji (St. Pauli, on loan from Burnley)
Prediction: Round of 16
Botswana
The underdogs in a tricky group, Botswana will be hoping the element of surprise can help them – as it did in qualifying, when they beat Mauritania and World Cup-bound Cape Verde to second place in Group C behind Egypt.
Key Player: Thatayaone Ditlhokwe (Al-Ittihad, Tripoli)
Prediction: Group stage
Algeria
The Fennecs won AFCON 2019 and are certainly challengers once again. Their club football is in a strong position, but their top talents are European-based due to the sheer quality of the squad at Vladimir Petković’s disposal. Known for having a strong spine and being difficult to break down, Algeria are likely to go deep in the tournament. What happens when the titans of Africa clash from the quarter-finals onwards is difficult to predict, but if Algeria do not make it that far, it would be a major shock.
Key Player: Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli)
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Burkina Faso
Burkina Faso have a hit-and-miss record at recent AFCON tournaments. After finishing as runners-up in 2013, they were eliminated in the group stage in 2015. After finishing third in 2017, they did not qualify in 2019. The last two tournaments have seen them finish fourth in Cameroon and then suffer a round of 16 exit in Côte d’Ivoire. They are not at the peak of their powers now, but this is a team that can always upset the apple cart.
Key Player: Bertrand Traoré (Sunderland)
Prediction: Round of 16
Equatorial Guinea
After making the quarter-finals and the round of 16 in their last two AFCON campaigns respectively, Equatorial Guinea are in a competitive group this time – but one which they will fancy themselves to sneak out of. Their best ever showing was fourth place on home soil in 2015.
Key Player: Saúl Coco
Prediction: Round of 16
Sudan
Although a proud football nation with prestigious clubs, Sudan head into this tournament as major underdogs. The nation has been torn by an ongoing civil war since April 2023 and if they cause shocks at this tournament, it could be a major source of pride.
Key Player: Mohamed Abdelrahman (Al Hilal, Omdurman)
Prediction: Group stage
Group F: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
Ivory Coast
The Elephants head into Morocco as defending champions and a team on a high after booking their spot in the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Côte d’Ivoire were not pretty from start to finish at the last AFCON, but they were ruthlessly effective at the end and a squad brimming with talent will be difficult to stop. Emerse Faé was the caretaker coach tasked with leading the team to glory last time out. He now presides over a side in transition between generations, but still among the best in the tournament on paper.
Key Player: Amad Diallo (Manchester United)
Prediction: Quarter-finals
Cameroon
Cameroonian football has had its ups and downs over the years. It was at their lowest in terms of off-field issues that they won AFCON 2017 under Hugo Broos. Currently, the association is once again in turmoil with a dispute over the rightful holder of the head coach position and Samuel Eto’o’s conduct at the helm of the federation. The Indomitable Lions are also smarting after missing out on the World Cup but when wounded, they are sometimes at their most dangerous.
Key Player: Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United)
Prediction: Round of 16
Gabon
Gabon are back at the AFCON after missing out on the last edition. They fell short in World Cup qualifying, but possess players who can hurt even the strongest of opponents. Mario Lemina, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Denis Bouanga are all in their thirties – meaning that this is a significant tournament for a generation with limited time to deliver on its promise.
Key Player: Mario Lemina (Galatasaray)
Prediction: Round of 16
Mozambique
Although underdogs for this group, the Mambas possess players who can inspire victories against the big guns, with Geny Catamo being the most notable name. They will hope to make the knockout rounds, capitalising on Cameroon and Gabon not being at the peak of their powers.
Key Player: Geny Catamo (Sporting CP)
Prediction: Group stage
