By Kunle Solaja.

Group D of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off in Morocco on Sunday, brings together pedigree, ambition and underdog spirit, with former champions Senegal topping a group that also includes DR Congo, Benin Republic and Botswana.

Although Senegal are no longer the reigning champions, the Teranga Lions remain one of the tournament’s strongest sides and will face stern tests from experienced and motivated opponents. Group D matches will be staged in Tangier and Rabat.

Fixtures (Kick-off times GMT)

• Dec 23 (17:00) – Tangier: Botswana v Senegal
• Dec 23 (19:30) – Rabat: Benin v DR Congo
• Dec 27 (17:00) – Tangier: DR Congo v Senegal
• Dec 27 (19:30) – Rabat: Benin v Botswana
• Dec 30 (19:30) – Tangier: Benin v Senegal
• Dec 30 (19:30) – Rabat: Botswana v DR Congo

Senegal: Former Champions Still Among the Favourites

Senegal arrive in Morocco as Africa Cup of Nations winners in 2021 and one of the continent’s most consistent teams of the last decade. Ranked 19th in the world, the Teranga Lions are making their 17th AFCON appearance after finishing top of their qualifying group ahead of Burkina Faso, Burundi and Malawi.

Under coach Pape Thiaw, Senegal retain much of the core that has made them perennial contenders. Kalidou Koulibaly remains the defensive leader, while the midfield boasts a blend of experience and energy in Idrissa Gana Gueye, Pape Matar Sarr and Lamine Camara. In attack, Sadio Mané continues to be the team’s talisman, supported by a formidable cast that includes Nicolas Jackson, Ismaila Sarr and Boulaye Dia.

Senegal will be expected to progress, but Group D offers no margin for complacency.

DR Congo: Two-Time Winners with Renewed Belief

Two-time African champions DR Congo bring history and ambition into the group. Winners in 1968 and 1974, the Leopards are making their 21st AFCON appearance and are ranked 56th globally.

Coach Sébastien Desabre has assembled a squad heavy on European-based professionals. The defence features high-profile names such as Chancel Mbemba, Axel Tuanzebe and Aaron Wan-Bissaka, while the attack is led by Cedric Bakambu, Simon Banza and Fiston Mayele.

Having topped their qualifying group ahead of Tanzania and Guinea, DR Congo will view their clash with Senegal as a defining moment in the group.

Benin Republic: Rohr’s Familiar AFCON Project

Benin return for their fifth Africa Cup of Nations appearance, still buoyed by their impressive quarter-final run in 2019 — their best showing to date. Ranked 92nd in the world, the Squirrels qualified behind Nigeria in their group.

Coached by former Super Eagles handler Gernot Rohr, Benin rely on structure, organisation and discipline. Captain Steve Mounié leads the attack, while defenders such as Olivier Verdon and David Kiki provide experience and stability.

Benin’s opening match against DR Congo could be pivotal in shaping their knockout hopes.

Botswana: Determined Underdogs on a Rare Stage

Botswana complete Group D as the lowest-ranked team, placed 138th globally, but arrive with pride after qualifying for only their second AFCON finals, following their debut in 2012.

Coached by Morena Ramoreboli, the Zebras are built around domestic league players, with forwards Tumisang Orebonye and Kabelo Seakanyeng among the key attacking threats. While expectations are modest, Botswana will aim to frustrate opponents and chase a first-ever win at the Africa Cup of Nations.

Group D Outlook

Group D may lack the defending champions, but it is rich in competitiveness. Senegal bring pedigree and depth, DR Congo offer experience and power, Benin add tactical organisation, while Botswana provide the unpredictability that defines AFCON.

With matches split between Tangier and Rabat, the group promises tight contests, contrasting styles and a fierce battle for progression to the knockout stage.

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Algeria hope to use the familiarity of Morocco’s climate to land a third Africa Cup of Nations title, midfielder Fares Chaibi said, despite his dismay that the upcoming tournament was not being held in the summer.

The Eintracht Frankfurt player, capped 22 times, also believed the proximity would make it easier for Algerian fans to rally behind the team when AFCON begins on December 21.

The French-born Chaibi expressed his excitement about the tournament, although it means he will miss crucial games for his club.

“We’re eagerly waiting for this Cup,” Chaibi told Reuters in a Zoom interview.

“It will undoubtedly be a fantastic tournament. Our Moroccan brothers have excellent infrastructure and know how to organise events.

“We have no doubt about the quality of the stadiums. I think all teams are happy to play in Morocco, and I hope it will be a great tournament,” he added.

“Morocco has the same climate as Algeria, we won’t feel like strangers, we’ll almost be at home. We have everything to deliver a big tournament, and we’re going there to make it happen.”

Algeria’s AFCON triumphs have come in North Africa. First as hosts in 1990, then in Egypt in 2019.

Chaibi believes summer is the ideal time for AFCON, but playing in winter won’t stop him from trying to erase the disappointment of Algeria’s early group-stage exit in Ivory Coast in 2024.

“It was supposed to be in summer… As professional players, we’ll always be there and answer the call of the homeland, no matter the timing. But in my view, summer is better,” he said.

“It doesn’t disrupt the season. We are focused at the end of the campaign, then get some rest. Now we break the season in half and miss club games, which isn’t ideal. But as I said, we’ll adapt.”

ALGERIAN ROOTS

Born in Lyon to Algerian parents, the 23-year-old never considered waiting for a France call-up, unlike peers such as Rayan Cherki and Maghnes Akliouche, who earned their first caps for Les Bleus this year.

“It was a natural choice. Algeria is my country. France is also my country because I was born there, but I feel more Algerian. It wasn’t a hard decision, and it wasn’t disrespectful to France. it’s a great football nation,” Chaibi said.

“But my culture has always been Algerian, and I wanted to make my family proud.”

Chaibi helped Algeria return to the World Cup after a 12-year absence, fulfilling his childhood dream of joining the team he watched at Brazil 2014.

Algeria, making their fifth finals appearance, will face holders Argentina, Jordan, and Austria in Group J of the expanded 48-team tournament in North America next summer.

“I think it’s every kid’s dream. When you watch the World Cup, you say, ‘Wow, this is huge’. And when you are from Africa, it’s not easy. Things are better now with more slots, but before, few African nations made it,” Chaibi said.

-Reuters

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By Kunle Solaja

When Nigeria’s Super Eagles touch down in Fés this Thursday aboard a chartered flight, they will be stepping into history, becoming only the second Nigerian football team to feature in a competitive match in Morocco’s oldest imperial city.

A UNESCO World Heritage site renowned for its scholarly legacy and rich traditions, Fés last hosted a Nigerian team more than four decades ago.

On September 9, 1984, Shooting Stars of Ibadan made history there during an African club competition, holding Maghreb de Fés (MAS Fés) to a stunning 1–1 draw. The Ibadan side went on to complete the quarter-final triumph two weeks later with a commanding 4–1 victory at home.

Shooting Stars beat Maghreb de Fés (MAS Fés) 5-2 on aggregate 41 years ago

That memorable outing now serves as a historical echo as the Super Eagles prepare for their own chapter in Fés, where they will face Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda in Group C of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Nigeria’s quest for a fourth continental title — following previous triumphs in 1980, 1994 and 2013 — has been branded “NAIJA 4 THE WIN.”

The campaign gets underway on Tuesday, December 23, with a clash against Tanzania’s Taifa Stars, a fixture that revisits history as it mirrors the opening match of the 1980 AFCON finals hosted and won by Nigeria.

The Super Eagles will next take on Tunisia, hosts and champions of the 2004 Africa Cup of Nations, on Saturday, December 27, before rounding off their group-stage fixtures against Uganda’s Cranes on Tuesday, December 30.

 All of Nigeria’s Group C matches will be played at the Complexe Sportif de Fés, reinforcing the team’s strong base in the historic city.

Elsewhere, Africa’s most decorated team, Egypt, face a different challenge in Group B. The Pharaohs — the only nation to have won the Africa Cup of Nations three times in a row between 2006 and 2010 — will battle 1996 hosts and champions South Africa, alongside Angola and Zimbabwe.

Their group matches will be staged at the Stade d’Agadir in the coastal city of Agadir.

As the Super Eagles settle into Fés, history, ambition and opportunity converge, with Nigeria hoping that echoes of past success in the ancient city will inspire another memorable continental campaign.

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