The continent holds its breath as the stakes rise in the African Football Qualifiers and AFCON 2025. From Ghana’s push to stay clear in Group I, to Egypt leaning on Mohamed Salah’s star power in Casablanca, to Cape Verde flirting with a first ever World Cup ticket, the week ahead feels like a tipping point for teams and supporters who have carried hope across a long qualifying road.
Ghana’s grip on Group I faces a stubborn Central African Republic test
Ghana step into their showdown with the Central African Republic in Morocco knowing exactly what a win would mean. The Black Stars top Group I on 19 points from eight matches, three ahead of Madagascar, and a victory at 6pm CAT would keep destiny firmly in their hands, with the door open to early qualification if results elsewhere fall their way.
The first meeting between these sides in Kumasi was a wild 4-3 Ghana win, with Jordan Ayew and Louis Mafouta both hitting hat-tricks, a reminder that this rivalry can ignite in a heartbeat. This time the message from both benches is control and ruthlessness, since small details are deciding entire campaigns.
The Central African Republic sit fifth with five points from eight games, their lone win arriving against Chad in June 2024. September brought twin setbacks, 2-0 defeats to Madagascar and Comoros, and Les Fauves will chase a final spark to finish on a high.
Form lines for Ghana offer reassurance. A 1-1 draw with Chad was followed by a disciplined 1-0 victory over Mali, and in a group where margins matter, that steady hand is crucial.
There are leaders on both sides. Marseille midfielder and captain Geoffrey Kondogbia has chipped in with a goal and an assist in qualifying, and his presence gives CAR a stabilizing heartbeat. For Ghana, Mohammed Kudus has been a Premier League menace, credited with one goal and four assists in seven games, the kind of direct threat that bends matches late.
History leans Ghana’s way, with the head-to-head reading three played, two wins for the Black Stars and one draw. That edge matters, yet pressure can blur statistics in an instant when a World Cup berth sits within reach.
Former captain Asamoah Gyan has given the current group a public vote of confidence, a veteran voice capturing the moment’s tightrope between nerves and belief.
“We are very close. The players have their destiny in their hands. They have done all the work and must add the finishing touch. They should go out, play their hearts out and get the win.”
“Some games come with good pressure and keep you on your toes. This is one of those games. I feel there is a bit of pressure, but that is normal. Some of the players did it in 2022 and I am sure they can handle it.”
Egypt bank on Salah’s response in Casablanca with top spot in sight
Egypt’s equation is clean. Beat Djibouti in neutral Casablanca, and top spot in Group A is secured with a match to spare, which would book a fourth World Cup appearance. That objective puts the spotlight on Mohamed Salah, who is seeking to turn the page on a slow club start and rekindle his ruthless national-team rhythm.
Salah’s season with Liverpool has opened with three goals in nine games across competitions, a contrast to last season’s 29 league goals that earned the Golden Boot and underpinned a title charge. Yet memory and meaning matter in qualifiers, since Salah struck four in a 6-0 demolition of Djibouti earlier in this campaign and sits on seven goals overall, one off the leading tally of Denis Bouanga with two rounds left.
Djibouti do not have a FIFA-approved stadium, which is why this is their home fixture in Casablanca. For Egypt, the venue change removes the most hostile variables, and with Hossam Hassan blessed with depth in attack, the Pharaohs carry layers of threats through Mostafa Mohamed, Omar Marmoush, Mahmoud Trezeguet Hassan and Ahmed Zizo Sayed.
Mostafa Mohamed’s message about Salah felt like a locker-room chorus, a reminder that form can be temporary when class is permanent.
“Mo is a big star, and we are lucky to have him in our team. He is the best player in the history of Egypt.”
“He is amazing. For me, he has a great personality. I love him a lot. He is a wonderful player.”
Cape Verde chase a first World Cup ticket with history within reach
Cape Verde’s Blue Sharks stand on the brink of a milestone that would echo beyond football. Top of Group D with a four-point cushion over Cameroon, they can clinch first place if they beat Libya in Tripoli in a 3pm CAT kick-off. It is not done yet, since a slip would invite Cameroon to trim the gap against Mauritius.
The storylines are rich. A former Portuguese colony with roughly 550,000 inhabitants, Cape Verde would become the smallest African nation by population to reach a World Cup if they complete the job. Even if they fail to seal it in Tripoli, a home date with Eswatini on Monday offers a second chance to gather the three points required.
It is a dream built on steady accumulation as much as fireworks, and for a generation that grew up watching African giants on the global stage, the chance to join them feels both audacious and earned.
Morocco already through while Tanzania and Zambia chase a proud finish
Group E is already spoken for by Morocco, which leaves Tanzania and Zambia playing for pride and momentum. They meet at the Amani Stadium in Zanzibar City at 9pm, a rivalry renewed with familiar bite and the promise of a fresh chapter.
Tanzania are second, 11 points back, and their recent run includes a narrow 1-0 loss to Niger and a 1-1 draw with Congo. Zambia, fourth with six points from six games, come in off a 2-0 defeat to Morocco, a reminder of their need for a cleaner edge in the final third.
Taifa Stars midfielder Habibu Idd has called for the stands to be packed and the voices loud, a plea that speaks to the power of home atmosphere at this stage of a campaign.
“We know the game will not be easy, but we are preparing well to ensure we secure a positive result. This is a match we must win. I call upon all Tanzanians to come out, cheer for us and give us the motivation we need.”
Selemani Mwalimu’s late equaliser against Congo underscored his poacher’s instinct, and he remains a livewire whether starting or off the bench. For Zambia, Patison Daka carries the burden and the belief up front, his European pedigree a signal of what is possible when the supply lines click.
History between the sides is tight, nine meetings split into three wins for Zambia, two for Tanzania and four draws. Another arm-wrestle feels likely as both sides aim to finish with pride intact.
The wider picture features Algeria’s opportunity and contenders on alert
Morocco and Tunisia have already booked their places at the 2026 World Cup, and Algeria are poised to join them if they secure maximum points against Somalia. That fixture is designated away but staged in Oran due to security constraints for Somalia, a hard reality that underlines the challenge facing the Ocean Stars against a heavyweight ranked 163 places higher.
Algeria coach Vladimir Petkovic has added a twist, calling up 27-year-old goalkeeper Luca Zidane for the first time after he switched allegiance from France, a detail that adds depth at a position that often defines tournaments. The Desert Foxes are chasing a fifth appearance on the global stage, a target within reach if focus holds.
Scenarios abound for other heavyweights. Senegal can qualify from Group B if they win in South Sudan on Friday and the Democratic Republic of Congo fail to win in Togo. Ivory Coast, last seen at a World Cup in 2014, would return if they win away to the Seychelles and Gabon lose to the Gambia, a path that will be watched closely by fans in Abidjan and beyond.
Back in Group I, Ghana can clinch early if they beat the Central African Republic and Madagascar drop points against Comoros. The permutations will flicker across phones and stadium screens, but the clearest route remains to win, then breathe.
CAF’s unwavering stance as AFCON 2025 stays set for Morocco
As the qualifiers crest, eyes are also fixed on the continent’s showpiece. CAF president Patrice Motsepe says he is absolutely confident the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will go ahead in Morocco, even as the country experiences daily anti-government protests. The message from Kinshasa was unambiguous, Morocco is plan A, plan B and plan C, with the promise of full cooperation to deliver a tournament that raises the bar.
AFCON is scheduled from December 21 to January 18 across nine venues with 24 teams, a window that will bring stars such as Mohamed Salah and Achraf Hakimi into a festival of football. Morocco last hosted the finals in 1988 and withdrew from 2015 over Ebola fears, context that sharpens the sense of purpose to get this edition right.
Motsepe also signaled intent to revive the African Football League after a stop-start debut that culminated in a compact eight-team event. Off the field, CAF’s books are healthier than they have been in years, with a net profit of 9.48 million dollars for 2023 to 24 and a projected surplus of 28.45 million dollars next year, numbers that build confidence in development plans.
The CAF boss highlighted zero tolerance for bribery and corruption, alongside increased allocations to member associations. A grant of 100,000 dollars to each club that does not reach the group stages of the CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup is not a windfall, but it helps with transport and essential costs, the kind of practical support that keeps the pyramid stable.
Wednesday’s rhythm and what to expect across the continent
Matchday 9 unfolds in three distinct waves. The afternoon window features Libya against Cape Verde and two other fixtures that carry implications for Group D, while the early evening brings pivotal Group I and Group A action as Ghana meet CAR and Egypt face Djibouti in Morocco. The night slate offers Group E rivalry between Tanzania and Zambia in Zanzibar City, and Niger against Congo in Ouagadougou, a reminder that pride and positioning still matter even after a group leader is confirmed.
Every minute will echo. In Group I, Ghana know that a result, married to a favorable outcome between Comoros and Madagascar, could end all doubt. In Group A, Egypt’s task is direct, finish the job and use the final matchday as preparation time rather than a tightrope.
The heartbeat of qualifying is pressure, poise and small margins
What makes this phase irresistible is not just the arithmetic, but the human tension wrapped around it. Salah trying to flip a difficult club start into a national-team catalyst, Asamoah Gyan urging Ghana to embrace good pressure, and Geoffrey Kondogbia carrying responsibility for a CAR team that wants one more big performance, these are stories of character as much as talent.
In Tanzania, the call from Habibu Idd for fans to fill the Amani Stadium captures the essence of home advantage when a campaign winds down. The image of Selemani Mwalimu arriving late in the box, the expectation carried by Patison Daka, and the pride on the line for both teams, these moments join the mosaic of a continent that measures progress in goals and in grit.
Across Africa, the message is simple. Win your duels, manage the pressure, and let the rest of the table sort itself out. By the time Monday arrives, the map to North and Central America could look very different, and the road to AFCON 2025 in Morocco will feel a little clearer too.
