RABAT: South Africa will face Mohamed Salah-captained Egypt while Ademola Lookman-inspired Nigeria must tackle Tunisia after the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations group stage draw was made in Rabat on Monday.

Hosts Morocco face giantkillers Comoros in the opening match of the 24-team tournament on Dec 21 while title-holders Ivory Coast will come up against five-time winners Cameroon.

Ivory Coast coach Emerse Fae is confident his team can become the first country since Egypt in 2008 to successfully defend the title.

`Sorry Morocco, but we are bringing the trophy back to Abidjan, said Fae, who replaced French coach Jean-Louis Gasset after a humiliating four-goal 2024 AFCON group loss to Equatorial Guinea.Fae, who was assisting Gasset and had never coached a senior team, led a remarkableu-turn that culminated in a 2-1 final victory over Nigeria.

`There are so many great teams coming to Morocco, but I have no intention of making our supporters cry,` he said.

`The key to success for the Elephants will be great preparations. That is a non negotiable, he told reporters in the Moroccan capital.

Sudan, a country ravaged by civil war, drew Algeria, and the clash of Senegal and the Democratic Republic of Congo is set to be another group-stage highlight.

Prolific scorer Salah has won multiple honours with Liverpool, but victory in the AFCON has eluded him. He came closest by finishing arunner-upin2017and2022.

Coach Hossam Hassan acknowledged that the media spotlight would be on Salah and new Manchester City signing Omar Marmoush.

`We are lucky to have Mohamed [Salah], one of the greatest footballers in the world, and the talented Omar,` said Egypt`s coach Hossam Hassan.`But watch out for many other Egyptianswho willimpressin Morocco.

Apart from South Africa, the record seven-time champions will take on two other countries from the south of the continent, Angola and Zimbabwe, in Group B.

Nigeria, runners-up to the Ivory Coast last year, are blessed with outstanding forwards, including African Footballer of the Year Lookman and his predecessorVictor Osimhen.

Tunisia, making a record 17th consecutive AFCON appearance, and east African contenders Uganda and Tanzania complete Group C.

Amad Diallo, scorer of a recent hat-trick for Manchester United against Southampton, is a likely starter for Ivory Coast, who will also meet Gabon and Mozambique in Group F.

With home advantage and Europe-based stars like Paris St-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, Morocco will be hoping to become the fourth AFCON hosts this century to lift the trophy.

In the previous 13 editions from 2000, only Tunisia in 2004, Egypt two years later and the Ivory Coast in 2024 have triumphed at home.

And all three triumphs were hard earnedwith TunisiaedgingMorocco2-1, Egypt pipping the Ivory Coast in a penalty shootout and the Ivorians coming from behind to beat Nigeria 2-1 last year.

Ivory Coast are the only country to have been crowned champions twice in the past eight editions of a competition first staged in 1957 and won by Egypt in Khartoum.

The other champions were Egypt, for a record seventh time in 2010, Zambia, Nigeria, Cameroon, Algeria and Senegal.

CAF president Patrick Motsepe from South Africa told reporters he believes the first AFCON to span two years will also be the most successful.

`I am extremely excited about the AFCON in Morocco it is going to be the most successful yet.

Ivory Coast raised the bar last year and now we must reach evengreater heights.

Originally slated for mid-2025, the tournament had to be delayed because to avoid clashing with the maiden edition of the revamped FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

`The new dates will not affect the tournament. Africa boasts many exceptionally talented footballers and all of them will be in Morocco, added Motsepe.

Hosting the AFCON is viewed as a crucial part of the Moroccan buildup toward the 2030 World Cup, which the kingdom will co-host with Spain and Portugal.

To mark the 100th anniversary of the first World Cup in 1930 in Uruguay, that country, Argentina and Paraguay will host one match each before the tournament moves to Europe and Africa.-AFP