The anticipation for the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 qualifiers reached a fever pitch as the preliminary draw unfolded at the CAF Headquarters in Cairo, Egypt, marking yet another significant milestone in African football history.
Held on Tuesday, 20 February, the event served as a pivotal moment following the conclusion of the 34th edition of the prestigious tournament, setting the stage for an exhilarating journey ahead.
With 52 nations vying for a coveted spot in the qualifiers, the draw laid out the framework for what promises to be an intense and fiercely contested competition. Among the participating nations, eight lowest-ranked teams, as per the FIFA Rankings, will engage in a captivating home and away knockout format during the preliminary stage.
From this fiercely competitive battle, only four nations will emerge victorious, earning the prestigious opportunity to join the remaining 44 teams in the group stages of the qualifiers, setting the stage for thrilling matchups and compelling narratives to unfold.
In a bid to ensure fairness and equity, the preliminary stage will witness the lower-ranked nations hosting the initial leg of the fixtures, with the return matches set to take place in the territories of the higher-ranked opponents, adding an extra layer of excitement to the proceedings.
The draw results for the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 preliminary stage are as follows:
Match 1 & 2: Somalia vs Eswatini
Match 3 & 4: Sao Tome vs South Sudan
Match 5 & 6: Chad vs Mauritius
Match 7 & 8: Djibouti vs Liberia
Dates, venues, and kick-off times for these fixtures are yet to be confirmed, heightening the anticipation and intrigue surrounding the upcoming clashes.
CAF is poised to announce the official draw for the group stages of the qualifiers upon the conclusion of the preliminary stages, further fueling excitement and anticipation among fans and stakeholders alike as the journey towards the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 continues to unfold.
