By Nurudeen Obalola
The Flying Eagles of Nigeria will find out their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage opponents on Thursday, when the tournament’s draw will be held.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed on Wednesday that the draw ceremony will be held in Cairo on Thursday afternoon, with the tournament itself scheduled for Cote d’Ivoire from April 26 to May 18.
According to the continental governing body, the draw will be broadcast live on CAF TV, with former Mali international Adama Coulibaly and ex-Senegal star Souleymane Camara acting as draw assistants.
The Flying Eagles, who have been seeded for the draw, and 12 other teams will compete in the tournament, with the top four nations to qualify for the 2025 FIFA U-20 World Cup that will be staged in Chile from September 27 to October 19.
During the AFCON draw, teams will be divided into three groups (A, B and C), with Group A containing five teams and Groups B and C four sides each.
Cote d’Ivoire, as the hosts, are automatically preassigned to position A1 in Group A.
Holders Senegal take up position C1 and Nigeria, who finished third two years ago, take up position B1.
The identity of the second team from the UNIFFAC Zonal Union is still to be determined following Congo’s FIFA suspension, but the team representing UNIFFAC will be in Pot 1 (Level 2) along with Egypt and Zambia. The teams in Pot 1 will be drawn into positions A2, B2 and C2.
The top two teams in each group qualify for the quarter-finals along with the two best third-placed sides.
QUALIFIED TEAMS
Cote d’Ivoire (hosts)
DR Congo
Egypt
Ghana
Kenya
Morocco
Nigeria
Senegal
Sierra Leone
South Africa
Tanzania
UNIFFAC 2*
Zambia
* To be determined.
