The Cosafa region could have a record number of teams in the Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) after South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe, Zambia and Comoros confirmed their places in the 2025 Afcon at the weekend, joining 14 other teams ahead of the final round.
The most teams the region has had was five in the 2023 tournament, where South Africa, Mozambique, Angola, Namibia and Zambia appeared.
While Bafana Bafana, as the 11th and top-ranked team from southern Africa, was expected to make back-to-back qualification after winning bronze under Hugo Broos at the 2023 Afcon in Ivory Coast early this year, there were no such guarantees for Angola and Zambia.
Most Cosafa countries have struggled to make an impact at Afcon. Bafana were the first winners from the region when Clive Barker’s Class of ’96 were crowned champions on home soil. After being runners-up in 1974 and 1994, Zambia won the tournament when Chipolopolo under French mentor Herve Renard in the competition co-hosted by Equatorial Guinea and Gabon in 2012.
Of the 15 countries who have won Afcon in the previous 34 editions, Egypt holds the record of seven titles, followed by Cameroon with five.
The Confederation of African Football (Caf) expanded the tournament from 16 to 24 teams in 2019, and since then some of the lesser-known teams in the southern region, including Madagascar, Namibia and Comoros, have managed to make an appearance at the finals.
Going to the last round of qualifiers tomorrow and Tuesday, Botswana and Mozambique could still join their Cosafa neighbours if the results of the last round go their way.
Botswana, who only appeared at Afcon in 2012, are in a tricky situation in Group C as they’ll need Cape Verde to beat Mauritania away from home on Tuesday night to have a realistic chance of making the finals. Having lost 4-0 at home to Egypt in the first leg, Botswana are not expected to pull a shocker against Mo Salah’s side at the 30 June Stadium in Egypt on Tuesday.
Cape Verde’s victory would see them level on seven points with Botswana, but the islanders could still lose out on qualification to Botswana, who beat them 1-0 at home and away. Mauritania, who are on four points and need victory against Cape Verde to match Botswana’s seven, have a better head-to-head chance than Botswana — who they held to a 1-1 draw away and beat 1-0 at home.
Mozambique could join Bafana, Zambia and Angola in making a back-to-back qualification if they avoid defeat away to Guinea-Bissau on Tuesday. The Mozambicans are in second spot in Group I with eight points, three ahead of Guinea-Bissau, who they beat 2-1 at home in September.
Four-time winners Ghana were the biggest casualties among the giants who failed to qualify for the 2025 Afcon in Morocco. Jordan Ayew’s 15-minute opener was not enough to help the Ghanaians as they drew 1-1 with Angola after Zini scored in the 64th minute to keep the Angolans on top of Group F on 13 points.
Alongside Ethiopia and Congo, Ghana are the only former Afcon winners who will not make it to Morocco next year. Sudan may join the trio if they fail to earn at least a point at home against Angola tomorrow. Niger could still equal Sudan’s seven points if they win away to Ghana tomorrow.
The 35th Afcon edition will be played between December 21 2025 and January 18 2026, with Ivory Coast starting as defending champions after beating Nigeria 2-1 in an epic final in Abidjan.
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