Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana side were handed a precarious position after being drawn in Group B at Monday's 2025 AFCON draw.
Bafana Bafana were drawn alongside North African giants Egypt, Angola and neighbours Zimbabwe.
Bafana – who finished as bronze medalists at the previous continental tournament in the Ivory Coast – qualified for this year’s edition alongside 24 other teams.
Bafana Bafana will resume their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers at home to Lesotho and away to Benin in March 2025.
With home advantage and perhaps one of the strongest teams to grace the continent with Europe-based stars like Paris Saint-Germain defender Achraf Hakimi, Morocco will be hoping to become the fourth Afcon host this century to lift the trophy.
In the previous 13 editions from 2000, only Tunisia in 2004, Egypt two years later and the Ivory Coast in 2024 have triumphed at home.
CAF president Patrick Motsepe exclaimed that this edition will be the most successful.
“I am extremely excited about the Afcon in Morocco – it is going to be the most successful yet. Ivory Coast raised the bar last year and now we must reach even greater heights.
Originally slated for mid-2025, the tournament had to be delayed to avoid clashing with the maiden edition of the revamped Fifa Club World Cup in the United States.
“The new dates will not affect the tournament. Africa boasts many exceptionally talented footballers and all of them will be in Morocco,” added Motsepe.
The AFCON 2025 groups are locked in 🔐🌍🏆 pic.twitter.com/d1IqNPDEZx
— OneFootball (@OneFootball) January 27, 2025
