By Happy Godwin
Uganda’s national football team, the Uganda Cranes, has been drawn into Group C alongside African heavyweights Nigeria, Tunisia, and regional rivals Tanzania for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The draw, held in Rabat, Morocco, saw 24 teams placed under six groups for the 35th edition of the tournament, which will run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.
Heading into the draw, the Cranes were placed in Pot 3 based on the latest FIFA World Rankings. This seeding meant they would face opponents from Pots 1, 2, and 4. Uganda Cranes are returning to the continental tournament for the first time since their last appearance in Egypt in 2019.
This will mark Uganda’s eighth AFCON appearance, with previous participations in 1962, 1968, 1974, 1976, 1978, 2017, and 2019. Uganda’s best AFCON performance came in 1978 when they finished as runners-up in Ghana. For this edition, Uganda Cranes clinched their qualification with two matches left, including a home game against South Africa scheduled for Friday at Mandela National Stadium, Namboole.
The qualification was confirmed after South Sudan defeated Congo 3-2 in Juba. This result left Congo, third in the group with 4 points, unable to surpass either Uganda or South Africa, who had 10 and 8 points, respectively.
Afcon full draw
Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
Group D: Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
Group F: Cote d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
