The race for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) intensified on Friday as top scorers emerged and 18 teams confirmed their places in the tournament. With one round of qualifiers remaining, the competition promises an exciting finish as teams fight for the remaining spots.
### **Top Scorers**
Guinea’s Serhou Guirassy leads the qualifiers’ scoring chart with five goals, showcasing his pivotal role in his team’s campaign. Morocco’s Diaz follows closely with four goals, while several players, including Algeria’s Amine Gouiri, Ivory Coast’s Jean-Philippe Krasso, Senegal’s Sadio Mane, Cape Verde’s Ryan Mendes, Zambia’s Albert Musonda, and Egypt’s Trezeguet, are tied with three goals each.
These prolific attackers have been crucial in their teams’ success, emphasizing the high level of talent on display in the qualifiers.
### **Qualified Teams**
A total of 18 nations have secured their spots in the 2025 AFCON, set to be hosted by Morocco, who automatically qualify as the host nation. The confirmed teams include:
– **North Africa:** Algeria, Egypt, Tunisia
– **West Africa:** Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast (defending champions), Mali, Nigeria, Senegal
– **Southern Africa:** Angola, South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe
– **Central Africa:** Cameroon, Democratic Republic of Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon
– **East Africa:** Uganda, Comoros
### **Remaining Contenders**
The battle for the final qualification spots will be decided in the last round of matches scheduled for November 17–19. The following groups remain wide open:
– **Group C:** Botswana and Mauritania compete for the lone spot.
– **Group D:** Benin, Libya, and Rwanda remain in contention.
– **Group F:** Niger and Sudan vie for qualification.
– **Group H:** Ethiopia, Guinea, and Tanzania are still in the running.
– **Group I:** Guinea-Bissau and Mozambique fight for the last place.
The stakes are high as these teams gear up for their decisive fixtures, aiming to join the 18 already-qualified nations in Africa’s premier football tournament.
