This is the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations and the second time it is being staged in Morocco.
When the competition ends on January 18 in Rabat many will expect the hosts, rated the leading African nation by FIFA, to lift the trophy for just the second time.
Before that they will have to negotiate their way out of a four-team group and then through four rounds of knockout matches.
The Atlas Lions can field a star-studded squad of European-based players led by their captain, PSG’s Achraf Hakimi, the 2025 African Player of the Year.
And after their record-setting exploits at the World Cup, when they became the first African side to reach the semi-finals, plus being backed by a passionate local crowd, Walid Regragui’s Morocco will be favourites to triumph.
Who might stop them?
Egypt
The Pharaohs will be led on the field by Liverpool superstar Mo Salah and off the field by another prolific goalscorer in Hossam Hassan.
Though he has had evident issues at Anfield, in a team that has been struggling to emulate their championship winning season, Salah should relish the chance of leading his country to a record extending eighth AFCON.
Based initially in Agadir, Egypt will certainly be expected to top Group B and qualify alongside South Africa.
Their squad will be based on an experienced group of players from domestic heavyweight Al Ahly, Zamalek and Champions League winners Pyramids plus Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush, Nantes’s Mustafa Mohamed, and Salah.
They will also bring that track record of past success and they should be very well supported in Morocco.
But whether that will be quite enough (and whether Salah can recapture his best form) is perhaps doubtful.
Senegal
Of the non-North Africans Senegal could well be the leading contenders.
Pape Thiaw’s side comprises a very solid group of European-based players, including the likes of Ismaila Sarr, Idrissa Gueye, Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson together with the Saudi domiciled duo of top scorer Sadio Mane and their captain Kalidou Koulibaly.
It represents a depth of squad that few other teams can emulate.
Having finally delivered an AFCON title in 2021, qualified for the 2026 World Cup, and had a confidence boosting win over England, the ingredients are there for the Lions of Teranga to go far in this competition.
Algeria
The dual champions feel like a side who may not be quite as good as they once were, and will lack the number of headliners from recent campaigns.
Though the goalscoring exploits of Bundesliga-based Mohamed Amoura might compensate for the inevitably ageing forwards Riyad Mahrez and Baghdad Bounedjah.
Bosnian coach Vladimir Petkovic will be expected to produce a well organised team with Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri and the experienced Aissa Mandi as key members of the defence.
So Algeria should emerge from their group assuming they can overcome tricky encounters with Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea (who reached the quarter-finals in 2021)
Whatever happens the men in green (or white) will have some of the most fanatical support in Rabat.
Nigeria
Many would think the Nigerians should have won more than three AFCON’s over the years.
Again, they will go into the 2025 version with a powerful squad featuring the much coveted Victor Osimhen.
The Galatasaray striker will be among the favourites to finish as top scorer and he will have strong back up from Fulham’s Alex Iwobi and Samuel Chukwueze plus Atlanta’s Ademola Lookman.
Now with Malian Eric Chelle in control the Super Eagles will, as usual, have sizeable pressure to go far.
But they will face the Tunisians early on and might have a battle to come top of Group C.
However, with one of the best strikers in Africa in their team Nigeria are always likely to be contenders, as long as they can deliver the ammunition for Osimhen to get the goals.
Ivory Coast
The holders will be expected to construct a spirited defence of their title once they get past fellow group members Cameroon and Gabon.
Emerse Fae, who eventually led the Elephants to their triumph on home soil, can call on a group of Premier League talent including the likes of Amad Diallo, Ibrahim Sangare, and Emmanuel Agbadou.
As well as the somewhat enigmatic Wilfried Zaha, the hero from 2023 (Sebastien Haller), and the still-only-29, Franck Kessie.
With their colourful band of fans the Ivorians are ones to watch, but, ultimately, might not be a match for the leading favourites.
Analysis – John Bethell
