AFCON 2025 Group A Preview: Morocco Target Home Glory As Mali, Zambia And Comoros Challenge

Ahead of the highly anticipated continental showpiece, host Morocco will square up against Comoros, the curtain raiser of the tournament in Group A which consists of Mali and Zambia. The Group offers an easy route of passage into R-16 for Atlas Lions who are likely to be without key player Achraf Hakimi On Sunday as he is currently working his way back from injury which he picked up while in action for PSG against Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League last month.

Comoros

Head coach Stefano Cusin has named a 28-man squad that blends continuity with fresh energy, introducing two new faces while largely retaining the core of players who featured during the AFCON qualifiers and the 2026 World Cup qualifying campaign.

The selection underlines a clear commitment to stability as Comoros look to re-establish themselves as one of Africa’s emerging football nations. The Coelacanths who captured continental attention by reaching the knockout stages of AFCON 2021, now face a stern test in Group A alongside hosts Morocco, Mali and Zambia.

Comoros will begin their tournament against Morocco on 21 December in Casablanca, a daunting opening fixture against the host nation. However, Cusin views the encounter as an opportunity rather than a setback, believing a strong performance could set the tone for the rest of their group-stage campaign in what is widely regarded as one of the tournament’s toughest sections.

In preparation for the finals, the Islanders will round off their build-up with friendly matches against Gambia and Madagascar. Their qualification for AFCON 2025 was itself a major statement, as Comoros finished top of their qualifying group ahead of Tunisia, Gambia and Madagascar to secure only their second-ever appearance at the tournament, following their historic debut in 2021.

The upcoming finals in Morocco will also mark Stefano Cusin’s first appearance as a head coach at the Africa Cup of Nations. Despite being a debutant at this level, the experienced tactician will rely on his extensive international background and tactical awareness to guide Comoros through a demanding competition.

Comoros arrive in Morocco for their second AFCON finals appearance with an impressive recent record. They are one of just four island nations alongside Cabo Verde, Madagascar and Mauritius to have qualified for an AFCON finals.

Their qualification campaign was the most successful in the country’s history, as they went unbeaten in Group A with three wins and three draws, conceding only four goals — their best defensive return and highest number of victories in AFCON qualifying.

Key Player: The squad is anchored by experienced figures, notably midfielder Youssouf M’Changama who continues to serve as the driving force behind Comoros’ creativity, and the versatile Faïz Selemani widely regarded as one of the team’s most influential and decisive attacking threats.

Mali

Mali open their Group A campaign on 22 December against Zambia in Casablanca before facing hosts Morocco and Comoros in what is expected to be one of the most competitive groups of the competition.

Making their 15th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, Mali continue to underline their status as one of the competition’s most consistent performers. The Eagles first qualified for the tournament in 1972, finishing as runners-up on debut, before returning to the finals in 1994.

Since 2002, Mali have been almost ever-present on the AFCON stage, with 12 of their appearances coming in that period and only one absence from the last 13 tournaments, in Egypt 2006. The current edition marks their 10th successive AFCON finals appearance.

Historically, Mali have often gone deep into the tournament. In addition to their runners-up finish in 1972, they placed fourth in 1994, 2002 and 2004, and secured third-place finishes at back-to-back editions in 2012 and 2013. At the most recent AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, Mali reached the quarter-finals, continuing a run that has seen them progress beyond the group stage in each of their last three appearances.

This tournament will see Mali contest their 60th AFCON finals match, with an overall record of 21 wins, 21 draws and 17 defeats. They boast a formidable opening-match record, having never lost their first game at the finals (P13 W8 D5), and have won their opening fixture at each of the last three editions.

Their biggest opening-day victory remains a 4–1 win over Mauritania in 2019. Mali are also noted for one of the most remarkable comebacks in AFCON history, having overturned a four-goal deficit against Angola in 2010, a feat unmatched in the competition.

Mali arrive in fine form at group level, currently on a 10-match unbeaten run in AFCON group-stage games. Their last defeat at this stage came in 2017, a narrow 1–0 loss to Ghana.

Qualification for this tournament was built on defensive solidity, as they conceded just one goal across six matches and kept five clean sheets.

Key Players: Dorgeles Nene emerged as their leading scorer in qualifying, netting three goals.

Morocco

Morocco are set to begin their 20th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations finals, extending a streak of five consecutive participations that dates back to 2017. As hosts, the Atlas Lions return to staging the tournament for only the second time in their history, having previously done so in 1988, when they finished third.

Currently ranked 11th in the world, Morocco enter the competition as the highest-ranked nation on the African continent and one of the clear favourites.

Their previous experience as hosts began with a 1–1 draw against the Democratic Republic of Congo in the opening match of the 1988 edition. Abdelkrim Merry put Morocco ahead from the penalty spot in the 43rd minute before Vita Lutonadio struck a late equaliser in the 88th minute. That tournament remains a notable chapter in Moroccan football history, alongside their AFCON triumph in 1976, their runners-up finish in 2004, and a third-place finish in 1980.

This year’s finals mark the second time Morocco have qualified for five straight AFCON tournaments, having previously achieved a run of six consecutive appearances between 1998 and 2008. Across their 19 opening matches at the finals, their record stands at six wins, nine draws and four defeats. Encouragingly for the hosts, Morocco have won their opening match in each of the last three editions in 2019, 2021 and 2023, a stark contrast to their early tournament history, when they failed to win their opening game in their first eight AFCON appearances.

They are unbeaten in their last 11 group-stage matches at the competition, recording nine wins and two draws during that run. On the global stage, the Atlas Lions further underlined their pedigree by becoming the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of a FIFA World Cup at Qatar 2022.

Although Morocco qualified automatically for AFCON 2025 as hosts, they still competed in the qualifying campaign and dominated their group, winning all six matches, scoring 26 goals and conceding just twice.

Key Players: Real Madrid’s Brahim Díaz was the standout performer during qualification, finishing as the top scorer with seven goals in only four appearances.

PSG’s Achraf Hakimi and the current CAF player of the year also is an integral part of the team defensively and offensively but with his injury, he’s expected to miss the opener on Sunday.

Zambia

AFCON champions in 2012 with runners-up finishes in 1974 and 1994, Zambia remain one of Southern Africa’s most historically significant teams at the Africa Cup of Nations. They are the most successful nation from the region in terms of AFCON appearances and matches played, and the upcoming tournament will mark their 19th finals appearance and 70th match at the competition.

Zambia finished as runners-up at their debut AFCON in 1974 and enjoyed a prolonged period of consistency in the following decades. They have now qualified for back-to-back AFCON tournaments for the first time since their long run between 2006 and 2015. However, recent editions have proved challenging, with group-stage exits at their last three appearances. Their last progression beyond the group stage came in 2012, when they memorably lifted the trophy.

The Chipolopolo are currently on a difficult run at the finals, having failed to win any of their last 10 AFCON matches, drawing eight and losing two. Their last victory from open play dates back to the 2012 semi-final against Ghana. They are also winless in their last nine AFCON group-stage games, underlining the scale of the task they face to rediscover their former sharpness on the continental stage.

Historically, Zambia have performed well when the tournament has been hosted in North Africa, a trend they will hope to draw inspiration from. The team enters this edition under new leadership, with Moses Sichone having replaced Avram Grant as head coach.

In terms of tournament openers, Zambia’s AFCON record stands at 18 matches, with five wins, eight draws and five defeats. They are unbeaten in their opening game at each of the last six tournaments, although they have failed to win their first match at their last three appearances. Their most recent opening-day victory came in a 2–1 win over Senegal during their title-winning campaign in 2012.

Zambia topped qualifying Group G ahead of Côte d’Ivoire to secure their place at the finals, using a wide pool of 29 players during the campaign.

Key Player: The overseas contingent is led by striker Patson Daka, who continues to spearhead the Chipolopolo attack, alongside Austria-based Jack Kalichi Lahne, who scored on his debut during the last FIFA window. Kennedy Musonda Jr emerged as their leading scorer in qualification, finishing with four goals and he is expected to keep his goalscoring exploits when they face Zambia on Monday.

Probable Final Standing:

Morocco has been tagged one of the favorites of the competition. The squad offers so many creativity and assurance for fans who wants to lift the trophy on home-soil. The Atlas Lions will make it out of the group stage as table toppers with Mali expected to follow suit as second, Comoros and Zambia are willing to rewrite and underdog story which makes it even more interesting.

The opener between Morocco and Comoros is expected to set up fireworks before Zambia take on Mali on Monday to complete Group A round one game.

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