• Cote d’Ivoire, Benin Republic, Angola, Morocco, Tanzania lead contenders
• Lookman among top five stars to watch in Morocco

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has ruled out the Super Eagles among the top five favourite teams to watch in this year’s Africa Cup of Nations.

But the reigning African Player of the Year, Super Eagles and Atalanta of Italy striker, Ademola Lookman, has been listed as one of the top stars to watch at the 2025 AFCON holding in Morocco later in the year. The championship is returning to Morocco 37 years after the 1988 edition won by Cameroon.

The final draw of the 35th edition of the premier African football competition will hold in Rabat on 27 January.

As part of the countdown, CAF has named five teams to watch out for.

While the Super Eagles, who are three-time champions and runners-up at the last edition, are not mentioned, their under-achieving western neighbours, Benin are among the five teams to watch out for as the tournament.

Top on the list of teams to watch the 2025 AFCON is the Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire.
Fresh from their dramatic victory on home soil earlier this year, the Elephants have everything to prove in Morocco.

Under the innovative leadership of Emerse Fae, who was recently crowned CAF Coach of the Year, the team faces the challenge of demonstrating that their triumph was no fluke.

While their AFCON 2025 qualification campaign was far from stellar, finishing second in Group G behind Zambia, the team’s ambition remains undeterred.

Cote d’Ivoire will rely on their young, talented squad and Fae’s strategic brilliance to cement their status as African football heavyweights, despite dropping to 46th in the latest FIFA rankings (sixth in Africa).

The Cheetahs of Benin Republic return to the AFCON after missing the last two editions, securing qualification by the narrowest of margins.

The Cheetahs finished second in Group D, edging Rwanda on goal difference, and will look to build on their impressive 2019 quarter-final run, which included a stunning elimination of Morocco.

With experienced coach Gernot Rohr at the helm, Benin is poised to reignite its AFCON journey.

Rohr’s tactical expertise and proven leadership bring renewed hope to a team eager to make a lasting impact.

Other top teams, according to CAF’s rating include Angola, who enters AFCON 2025 with momentum after a stellar qualifying campaign that saw them top Group F, remaining unbeaten against Sudan, Niger, and Ghana. This performance, coupled with their strong showing at the previous tournament, where they reached the quarter-finals, highlights their growing strength.

Host, Atlas Lions of Morocco, despite reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, fell short at the last AFCON, where they suffered a surprising Round of 16 exit to South Africa.

However, the Atlas Lions rebounded with a flawless qualification campaign, winning all six of their matches in Group B. Hosting the tournament offers an additional advantage to Morocco, as they seek to secure their second AFCON title-50 years after their first triumph in 1976.

Also listed are the Taifa Stars of Tanzania.

Meanwhile, CAF has named Lookman among five players to watch at Morocco 2025

For many of Africa’s brightest football talents, Morocco 2025 will be a golden opportunity to showcase their skills. Lookman will undoubtedly be one of the most closely watched stars at the 2025 AFCON.

The Atalanta Bergamo forward earned the accolade following a spectacular season where he guided his club to UEFA Europa League glory with a historic hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.

Last season, Lookman scored an impressive 27 goals and provided 13 assists, a form he has carried into the current campaign with 11 goals in 18 matches.

At the previous AFCON, he contributed three goals to Nigeria’s remarkable run to the final, where they fell 2-1 to hosts Cote d’Ivoire.

The Super Eagles will rely heavily on his offensive prowess in Morocco.

Other top stars to watch at Morocco 2025 include Carlos Baleba (Cameroon, Brighton), who, at just 20 years old, has established himself as a midfield powerhouse for both Brighton and the Cameroon national team.

Baleba played a pivotal role in Cameroon’s flawless qualification for AFCON 2025, finishing atop Group J with 14 points. His performances in the English Premier League have also attracted interest from Europe’s top clubs.

Set to make his AFCON debut, the former Elite Academy product from Cameroon is poised to make a significant impact on the tournament with his blend of talent and confidence, which could be key to the Indomitable Lions’ success.