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Super Eagles in top pot for AFCON draw, to avoid Morocco, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire

 

THE Super Eagles of Nigeria will be in Pot 1, which contains the top teams, for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) draw.

The draw ceremony is scheduled for the Mohamed V National Theatre in Rabat, Morocco on Monday.

The Super Eagles, who were losing finalists at the last AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire last February, have been placed in the top pot along with seven-time champions Egypt, holders Cote d’Ivoire, two-time winners Algeria, hosts and 1976 champions Morocco, and 2021 winners Senegal.

The teams in the same pot cannot be drawn against each other, therefore three-time champions Nigeria will avoid the other countries in Pot 1 in the group phase.

The Super Eagles could still draw some tough opponents in the group phase though, as heavyweights Cameroon, Tunisia and South Africa, as well as 2023 finalists Burkina Faso are in Pot 2.

The 24 qualified teams will be placed in six groups of four each during Monday night’s draw ceremony in host country Morocco.

According to the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) Super Eagles head coach Eric Chelle and Team Administrator Dayo Enebi Achor, and the Chairman of NFF Technical and Development Committee Alhaji Sharif Inuwa will represent the country at the draw ceremony.

The 2025 AFCON is scheduled to begin on December 21 and end on January 18, the the first time ever the tournament starts in a particular year and runs into another year.

Morocco will be playing host to Africa for a second time since hosting the 1988 tournament that was won by Cameroon, who controversially defeated Nigeria in the final.

The North African country was handed the hosting rights for the 2015 edition, but pulled out late due to the spread of the dreaded ebola virus across Africa.

AFCON POTS
Pot 1: Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Cote d’Ivoire

Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, Burkina Faso

Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Benin Republic

Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana

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Naija Times