2025 AFCON Qualifiers: Matchday 5 & 6 Preview – Who Will Qualify?
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers wrap up this November, with the last two rounds of matches set to take place from November 13-16 (Matchday 5) and November 17-19 (Matchday 6).
By the end of these fixtures, we’ll know the full lineup of the 24 teams heading to the tournament.
As of now, seven teams – Algeria, Angola, Burkina Faso, Cameroon, DR Congo, Egypt, and Senegal – have already secured their spots.
These teams join hosts Morocco for the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, which is scheduled from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
This leaves just 17 spots up for grabs, and with only two qualifying rounds left, expect plenty of drama, especially as a few of the continent’s heavyweights are still sweating on their qualification.
One of the biggest talking points from the qualifiers so far was the controversy in Group D on Matchday 4, where Nigeria’s Super Eagles were forced to forfeit their game against Libya.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will be keeping its fingers crossed there are no repeats after resolving the issue by awarding Nigeria the win with three points and three goals, deeming Libya responsible for the disruption.
As we gear up for Matchdays 5 and 6 of the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, there’s everything to play for. Here’s what to keep an eye on.
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110% Welcome Bonus Up to ₦50.000Group A: Tunisia (7), Comoros (6), Gambia (5), Madagascar (2)
It’s all to play for in Group A, with the top three teams separated by just two points. Even the bottom side, Madagascar, still have an outside shot at qualifying if they win their last two matches and other results go their way. But that scenario seems a bit far-fetched, considering they haven’t won a game yet.
Tunisia lead the group and have a relatively straightforward path ahead. They’ll head to Madagascar on Matchday 5 before hosting Gambia. A win in either of those matches should see them safely through to the tournament.
Comoros currently hold the other qualification spot but face a tough task if they want to keep control of their fate. They travel to Gambia on Matchday 5, which won’t be an easy fixture, before wrapping up their campaign with a home game against Madagascar.
Meanwhile, Gambia know that anything less than a win against Comoros will almost certainly end their qualification hopes, especially with a daunting trip to Tunisia awaiting them on the final matchday.
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100% WELCOME BONUS UP TO ₦207.500Group B: Morocco (12), Gabon (7), Central African Republic (3), Lesotho (1)
Morocco are already qualified as hosts, so only one other team from Group B can join them. That spot currently looks destined for Gabon, who are in second place with seven points, four clear of the Central African Republic.
Morocco have won all four of their group games, so far and will be aiming to keep that perfect streak going when they visit Gabon on Matchday 5. But Gabon are at home and know that a win against the already-qualified Moroccans will see them book their place, as well.
If they can pull that off, their final game away to the Central African Republic will be a mere formality.
As for the Central African Republic, a win against Lesotho is non-negotiable if they want to keep their 2025 AFCON dreams alive, especially if Gabon slip up against Morocco.
If Gabon do stumble, the Central African Republic could still sneak into the tournament with a win over Gabon on Matchday 6.
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Give a boost to your next sports betGroup C: Egypt (12), Botswana (6), Cape Verde (3), Mauritania (3)
With Egypt having already sealed their spot in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the battle in Group C is for the second qualification spot.
Botswana, currently three points clear in second place, must defeat Mauritania on Matchday 5 to maintain their qualification hopes, as they will travel to Egypt on Matchday 6.
A win for Botswana would secure their place in Morocco, provided Cape Verde, who are tied with Mauritania on three points, fail to defeat Egypt at home on Matchday 5.
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100% Welcome Bonus Up to ₦50.000Group D: Nigeria (10), Benin (6), Rwanda (5), Libya (1)
Nigeria need one more point from their final two matches against Benin and Rwanda to seal their place in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
So, really, the question is, who will join the Super Eagles in Morocco from Group D?
The answer to that question will become clearer on Matchday 5 when second-placed Benin host the Super Eagles. Benin must avoid defeat to remain in contention, especially with Rwanda, just one point behind, expected to take all three points at home against a demoralised and already eliminated Libya.
The final matchday may prove decisive, with Rwanda travelling to Nigeria, who will be favourites to win, and Benin away to Libya, who, with nothing left to play for, may not offer much resistance.
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Group E is almost settled with Algeria comfortably through to the 2025 AFCON finals with an unblemished record. Equatorial Guinea, in second place, need just one win or even a point from their final two games to qualify.
Ideally, Equatorial Guinea would want to clinch that win against Algeria on Matchday 5, especially since they’ll be playing in front of their home fans. However, if they miss that chance, it could get tricky as they have a tough away game against Togo to close out their campaign.
Meanwhile, Togo face a must-win match against already-eliminated Liberia. To keep their slim hopes alive, Togo must take care of business against Liberia and hope for a slip-up from Equatorial Guinea against Algeria.
That would leave Togo with a golden opportunity to seal their spot with victory over Equatorial Guinea, who they host on Matchday 6.
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Bet and Get ₦1.000.000 in free betsGroup F: Angola (12 points), Sudan (7 points), Ghana (2 points), Niger (1 point)
Angola, surprisingly, are the top dogs in Group F with a perfect record, and while they are already through to the tournament, they could make headlines by crushing Ghana’s hopes on Matchday 5.
Shockingly, the Black Stars have yet to register a single win in this qualification campaign. Now, nothing less than a victory against Angola in Luanda will do if they hope to avoid missing out on the AFCON for the first time in two decades.
Ghana’s best hope is that Angola, having already qualified, might take their foot off the gas. However, even a win for the Black Stars may be in vain if second-placed Sudan avoids defeat against bottom-side Niger.
For Ghana to qualify, Sudan must lose both of their remaining fixtures – first away to Niger and then at home to Angola, while Ghana need to win against both Angola and Niger.
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100% Welcome Bonus Up to ₦50.000Group G: Cote d’Ivoire (9), Zambia (7), Sierra Leone (4), Chad (2)
Group G remains wide open, with the top three teams still in contention for qualification.
Leaders Cote d’Ivoire can secure their spot by defeating second-placed Zambia on Matchday 5. However, Zambia playing on home soil, will be desperate for a win that would secure their own qualification, especially with an away game against third-placed Sierra Leone next.
Cote d’Ivoire will likely see their final home game against bottom-side Chad as their best chance to secure qualification.
Meanwhile, Sierra Leone travel to Chad on Matchday 5, needing to better Zambia’s result in their clash against Cote d’Ivoire to keep their hopes alive.
Should both Zambia and Sierra Leone get the results they need, it sets the stage for a thrilling showdown between them on Matchday 6 for a spot in Morocco.
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100% Welcome Bonus Up to €100Group H: DR Congo (12), Guinea (6), Tanzania (4), Ethiopia (1)
DR Congo have already booked their spot in Group H after amassing four wins from four games. All that’s left for them now is to try and conclude the qualifiers with a perfect record.
However, this motivation may not be enough to defeat hosts Guinea on Matchday 5. Guinea absolutely must win against DR Congo to maintain second place and stay in the final qualification spot. Anything other than a win could prove fatal, especially since they have a tough trip to third-placed Tanzania on Matchday 6.
Tanzania take on bottom-side Ethiopia on Matchday 5 and must also match or better Guinea’s results to keep their own hopes alive.
In any event, Matchday 6 in this group is shaping up to be decisive with the meeting between Tanzania and Guinea likely to decide who joins DR Congo in Morocco.
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Group I is delicately balanced, with Mozambique and Mali tied at the top with 8 points each. They face each other in a top-of-the-table clash in Maputo on Matchday 5, and the outcome may well decide who wins the group.
However, the pressure will undoubtedly be on Mozambique, with even a draw like in the reverse fixture not likely to do much for their chances, as they have a tough trip to third-placed Guinea-Bissau on Matchday 6.
Meanwhile, Mali are in a more favourable position as they wrap up their campaign at home against already eliminated Eswatini, which puts them in a strong position to qualify, even if they lose in Maputo.
Guinea-Bissau must defeat Eswatini on Matchday 5 to keep their qualification hopes alive.
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Things are similarly competitive in Group J, with three teams still in the running.
However, leaders Cameroon will be confident of booking their place in the tournament when they take on winless Namibia in Johannesburg on Matchday 5.
The Indomitable Lions will then conclude their qualifiers with a home fixture against second-placed Zimbabwe.
However, Zimbabwe will aim to ensure they do not need a result from that fixture. To achieve that, they need to avoid defeat against Kenya at home on Matchday 5, which would seal their place in Morocco.
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Group K will see either Uganda or South Africa qualify for the 2025 AFCON on Matchday 5, with both teams clashing in a winner-takes-all contest in Kampala.
Leaders Uganda are six points clear of third-placed Congo, so a draw with South Africa will be enough to see them through to Morocco.
South Africa, meanwhile, might find some extra motivation from playing in a stadium named after their national hero, Nelson Mandela to defeat Uganda.
However, a loss to the Cranes won’t be fatal to Bafana’s chances, as they have an extremely winnable tie at home against bottom side South Sudan still to come.
Congo will expect to pick up a win against a winless South Sudan side, keeping their hopes alive before a daunting final game against Uganda.
Even if Congo win both of their remaining matches, they can only reach 10 points. Unfortunately for them, they lose out to Uganda on head-to-head, which means their qualification relies on South Africa failing to pick up more than a point in their last two games, which is highly unlikely.
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In Group L, Burkina Faso and Senegal are tied at the top with 10 points each. With both sides already through, their encounter on Matchday 5 in Bamako will likely decide who tops the group.
Not that it matters much, as group winners have no special seeding advantage for the main tournament.
Meanwhile, the already eliminated Burundi and Malawi will face off in Abidjan on matchday 5, with nothing but pride to play for.
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