The opening round of qualifiers for the 35th Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) commences on Wednesday. The prestigious tournament, scheduled to be held in Morocco in December 2025, will see seven-time champions Egypt kick off their campaign against Cape Verde. Egypt aims to bounce back after a disappointing last-16 exit at AFCON 2023, where they were eliminated by the Democratic Republic of Congo in a penalty shootout.

Liverpool star and national team captain Mohamed Salah experienced a personal setback during the previous tournament, having to return to England early due to an injury sustained in the group stage.

Defending champions Ivory Coast will start their campaign without key player Sebastien Haller as they face Zambia in their opening match.

Despite securing automatic qualification as hosts, Morocco has opted to participate in the qualifiers to sharpen their competitive edge. The 2022 FIFA World Cup semifinalists will face Gabon in their opening fixture, aiming to improve on their round of 16 finish in South Africa during the previous edition