Stars handed tough rivals

TANZANIA: TANZANIA’S national football team ‘Taifa Stars’, will play DR Congo, Guinea, and Ethiopia for the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers.

The draw, conducted in Johannesburg, South Africa yesterday, placed Taifa Stars in Group H alongside formidable opponents for the upcoming qualifiers.

The draw organised 48 nations into 12 groups of four teams each. Despite being seeded in Pot 3, Taifa Stars aim to qualify for their fourth AFCON finals.

They first participated in 1980, returned in 2019 after a 39-year hiatus, and made their third appearance in Ivory Coast in 2023.

Qualification rules stipulate that the top two teams from each group (excluding Morocco’s group) will secure spots.

Morocco, as the host nation, automatically qualifies for AFCON 2025, enhancing the tournament’s prestige with 24 participating nations.

Beyond AFCON, Morocco has ambitious plans to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal, underscoring their stature as a significant footballing entity on the global stage.

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Other Council for East and Central Africa Football Associations (CECAFA) members have been placed in the following groups: Burundi, placed in pot four, has been drawn into Group L. They will face off Malawi, Burkina Faso and Senegal.

Rwanda, also placed in pot four, has been drawn into Group D. They will compete with Libya, Benin, and Nigeria.

Sudan, placed in pot three, have been drawn into Group F. They will go up against Angola, Niger and Ghana.

Kenya, placed in pot three, have been drawn into Group J. They are placed in a group with Namibia, Zambia, and Cameroon.

Uganda, placed in pot three, have been drawn into Group K and have been paired with fellow CECAFA zone team South Sudan.

These two teams are grouped with Congo Brazzaville and South Africa.