Group E consists of Congo Brazzaville, Tanzania, Niger, and Eritrea. The draw was conducted by former African stars in Abidjan.
Morocco, who reached the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar last year, finishing fourth, is expected to dominate their group. With the presence of Europe-based stars like Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, and Youssef en-Nesyri, Morocco looks like the favorites in their section, with Zambia posing the greatest threat.
In the latest FIFA rankings, Morocco is the highest placed African team, followed by Cup of Nations title-holders Senegal and Tunisia in third place. Senegal, led by Sadio Mane, will face the challenge of the rapidly improving Democratic Republic of Congo, who participated in the 1974 World Cup as Zaire, in Group B. Both teams are aiming for a third consecutive appearance at the global showpiece.
Tunisia finds themselves in Group H alongside Equatorial Guinea, a rising force in African football. Equatorial Guinea recently defeated Tunisia in a Cup of Nations qualifier, making them a formidable opponent.
Group C will witness the clash of long-time rivals Nigeria and South Africa. Zimbabwe, whose FIFA ban for government interference was lifted recently, completes the group. Ghana, disappointed with their early exit in Qatar, will aim to secure first place in Group I, with Mali as their main competition. Mali is the only top-seeded team that has not qualified for the World Cup.
Cameroon, with a record eight World Cup qualifications, has been struggling in recent Cup of Nations matches. This offers hope to Cape Verde and Angola, who are in Group D. Algeria, who narrowly missed out on a place in Qatar, are likely to dominate Group G, with Guinea as their main challengers.
The Ivory Coast, the host of the next Cup of Nations in January and February 2024, is satisfied with their draw. They will face second seeds Gabon, but the biggest threat to their World Cup aspirations could come from Gambia, the surprise quarter-finalists in the 2021 Cup of Nations.
Egypt, with a record seven Cup of Nations titles, often face challenges in qualifying for the World Cup. They are placed in Group A, where they will compete against Burkina Faso and Guinea-Bissau. These teams have the potential to trouble the Mohamed Salah-led Pharaohs.
With the expansion of the number of finalists from 32 in Qatar to 48 in North and Central America, Africa is guaranteed a record nine places, possibly even 10. Each group winner will qualify automatically, and the best four runners-up will enter the playoffs, with the winner advancing to the inter-confederation playoffs. Two spots are up for grabs in the inter-confederation playoffs, which will include teams from North/Central America, Asia, South America, and Oceania.
The African qualifiers will commence with matchdays one and two scheduled for November, followed by two more rounds in the coming year and six rounds in 2025.