COSAFA derbies on the cards in the 2025 AFCON draw in Morocco

By Velile Mnyandu
27th January 2025

Tonight’s 2025 Africa Cup of Nations Cup (AFCON) draw could produce a couple of Southern African derbies and Council of Southern African Football Associations (COSAFA) Deputy Executive Director Francis Makonese says this is made possible by the size of the region.

For the first time in the history of the AFCON, COSAFA has got the biggest representation in a long time, with seven countries having qualified for the AFCON in Morocco.

In last year’s AFCON, Bafana Bafana were pitted against Namibia in Group E and Makonese expects more COSAFA derbies tonight.

"Look, we are the largest zone in Africa, so we are bound to have teams that are gonna be put in the same groups. So, it's not a bad thing, we are the largest zone on the continent so it's bound to happen but what we are hoping for is that our teams go through and thrive," Makonese said.

Bronze medallists from last year’s AFCON and 1996 champions Bafana Bafana, 2012 champions Chipolopolo of Zambia, lead the COSAFA countries delegation in Morocco.

Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Botswana, Angola and Comoros are the other COSAFA countries at the AFCON tournament to be played from the 21 December 2025 until the 18 January 2026.

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Makonese says these are results of a strong COSAFA region.

"We are very happy with what the COSAFA teams have been doing. The COSAFA tournament has been running for a very long time, now we are seeing the fruits of us hosting all our teams in one tournament now bearing fruits,” he added.

“So, we are happy with what COSAFA teams are doing and we wish them all the best so when the draw happens, they can proceed to the second round and further. Hopefully, if possible, we have two teams in the final."