RABAT, MOROCCO — The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) group stage draw has been conducted, placing the Uganda Cranes in Group C alongside Nigeria, Tanzania, and Tunisia.
The draw ceremony, a dazzling spectacle, unfolded at the Mohammed V National Theatre in Rabat, Morocco on Monday, unveiling the competitive landscape for the 24 qualified nations.
The tournament, set to take place in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, will feature six groups of four teams each.
Uganda, the 1978 runners-up, in Accra, faces a challenging group. They will contend with Nigeria, their neighbors and co-hosts of the 2027 AFCON, as well as Tanzania and the experienced Tunisian side.
In another notable group, defending champions Côte d’Ivoire will square off against five-time winners Cameroon, alongside Gabon and Mozambique in Group F.
Uganda Cranes head coach Paul Put acknowledged the formidable nature of the African competition. While recognizing the absence of easy opponents, he expressed confidence in his team’s ability to compete fiercely.
“There are no easy teams in Africa. We have to believe in ourselves, take this opportunity. So we have to prepare ourselves,” Put said.
Uganda secured their place in the 2025 AFCON by finishing second in Group K of the qualifiers with 13 points. South Africa topped the group with 14 points. This will be Uganda’s eighth appearance at the prestigious continental tournament.
Their most recent participation was in 2019, where they reached the Round of 16 before bowing out to Senegal. Sadio Mane scored the lone goal in a 1-0 victory for the Senegalese.
Uganda’s finest performance in AFCON history came in 1978 when they reached the final, ultimately losing 2-0 to Ghana in Accra.
Here are the final group stage draws for AFCON 2025:
*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:* Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
