AFCON SCAN Group C: Two flights of Eagles and two of Kenya's neighbours

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is fast approaching, and as is the norm, Mozzart Sport Kenya will bring you a preview of all the groups and introduce all the participating nations, focusing on their records, crucial assets, key players, and odds of achieving a notable result.

Now, it's time for Group C, and once again, we'll have two relatively firm favourites with four AFCON titles combined, Nigeria and Tunisia, and as many underdogs with ten appearances overall, Uganda and Tanzania.

Still, considering the Super Eagles' recent performances and results, no one can guarantee they'll easily advance to the knockout phase, so each member of the group sees its own chance and even a slim path to the next round.

AFCON SCAN Group A: Hosts and top contenders face eternal losers, ex-champs, and minnows

NIGERIA

Area: 923,769 km2

Population: 236,747,130

Nickname: The Super Eagles

AFCON appearance: 21st

Best result: Champions (1980, 1994, 2013)

FIFA ranking: 38

Head coach: Eric Chelle (Mali)

Captain: William Troost-Ekong

Nigeria - one of the most powerful teams on the continent, and still, a team in arguably the biggest crisis in the tournament at the moment, especially considering expectations. And they are the highest, as always - the title or nothing.

The Super Eagles have one of the greatest legacies at the Africa Cup of Nations, having won three trophies, lost five finals, and finished third eight times. Two years ago, they were beaten by the hosts, the Ivory Coast, in the trophy match, despite having a 1-0 lead at the break.

Looking just at their squad, Nigeria should dominate not only their group but the entire competition. However, names do not guarantee results, and the Super Eagles themselves demonstrated this to the whole world just recently when they barely qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup African playoffs, only to lose in the semi-finals to the eventual winners, DR Congo.

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Hence, some football stars, such as Fulham's Calvin Bassey, Samuel Chukwueze, and Alex Iwobi, Ademola Lookman of Atalanta, the unmissable Victor Osimhen, and others, won't see the USA, Mexico, and Canada - at least not as the World Cup participants.

However, Eric Chelle's men's poor performance in the WC qualifiers should serve as a warning to their rivals as well, given that the Nigerians now have to give it their all to improve the awful impression and make amends to their compatriots. Otherwise, the Malian is most likely to get sacked, as he barely avoided losing his job after the latest collapse against the Leopards.

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As for the Super Eagles' squad, there's not much unknown left to tell. Their defence is slightly weaker than the attack, though it's because their offensive line is as mighty as it gets. Chelle's latest roster had as many as 11 players from the European top five leagues, but all eyes will, for sure, be on Osimhen, from whom the fans expect the most.

Nigeria somewhat struggled in the 2025 AFCON qualifiers as well, but eventually topped the group, which included Benin, Rwanda, and Libya.

Now, they have the immensely potent crew, but their burden is the heaviest. What will prevail?

TUNISIA

Area: 163,610 km2

Population: 11,972,169

Nickname: The Eagles of Carthage

AFCON appearance: 22nd

Best result: Champions (2004)

FIFA ranking: 40

Head coach: Sami Trabelsi (Tunisia)

Captain: Ferjani Sassi

Dark horses in the group and possibly the whole tournament, and currently arguably the national team in the best form in the entire continent. In the last few months, Tunisia have shown their full power, dominating their World Cup qualifying group, and leaving their rivals in the dust.

In the end, they finished the campaign with nine wins and one draw, scoring 22 goals and conceding not a single one! Moreover, they most recently drew against Carlo Ancelotti's Brazil 1-1 in a friendly match, proving that they are more than ready for the Africa Cup of Nations.

AFCON SCAN Group B: Clash of two titans and fierce fight for third place

Furthermore, the Eagles of Carthage hold the record with 16 consecutive appearances at the continental tournament, as they last missed the AFCON in 1992!

Truth be told, the results were rather mediocre, as they have only one semi-final and a number of quarter-finals and group exits - one of which occurred two years ago when they finished at the bottom of the group alongside Mali, South Africa, and Namibia - since winning their only title in 2004.

Tunisia's head coach and one of their football legends, Sami Trabelsi, retired from the national team in 2001 and wasn't a part of the team that triumphed at home 21 years ago, but he could achieve this dream as a manager.

The majority of his squad comes from the domestic league - mainly from Esperance de Tunis - while the "internationals" play in Morocco, Sweden, Egypt, Qatar, France, Russia, Germany, Switzerland...

The roster itself doesn't include stars, but the central figures among the Tunisians will be the captain Ferjani Sassi, the super-experienced defenders Ali Maaloul and Yassine Meriah, and Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane, whose added-time goal against Equatorial Guinea directly booked the Eagles of Carthage's 2026 World Cup ticket.

Even though they didn't shine in the qualifiers, finishing second in their group behind Comoros, the Eagles of Carthage now seem to be at the peak of their form, and that makes them arguably the biggest dark horses at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

UGANDA

Area: 241,038 km2

Population: 49,283,041

Nickname: The Uganda Cranes

AFCON appearance: 8th

Best result: Runners-up (1978)

FIFA ranking: 85

Head coach: Paul Put (Belgium)

Captain: Khalid Aucho

With their most notable result (the 1978 AFCON final, they lost to Ghana) dating back 47 years and with just two participations in the continental tournament in the last 45 years, Uganda cannot hope for much in Morocco.

In the modern era of their football, they were eliminated in the group stage in 2017 and the Round of 16 two years later (eliminated by Senegal), but, all in all, their chances aren't too good, especially alongside Nigeria and Tunisia in Group C.

Uganda's Bevis Mugabi in a duel with Mbaye Niang of Senegal during the 2019 AFCON Round of 16 match (©AFP)

Still, each crew that enters the competition hopes for the best, and so do the Uganda Cranes. If anything, their recent results and the second place in their 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifying group behind Algeria, and six wins in the campaign, boost their confidence.

At the same time, they easily secured their place at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, dominantly taking second spot behind South Africa and ahead of Congo and South Sudan.

The impression is that the former Harambee Stars boss, Paul Put, gathered a sturdy and scrappy group of lads, willing to bleed, sweat, and cry for success.

Uganda's roster barely has any recognizable names, though its "alpha and omega" is their captain and the ex-Gor Mahia midfielder Khalid Aucho. Apart from the 32-year-old, the eyes of the Ugandans will be on the pair of forwards, Rogers Mato and Allan Okello.

TANZANIA

Area: 947,303 km2

Population: 67,462,121

Nickname: The Taifa Stars

AFCON appearance: 4th

Best result: Group Stage (1980, 2019, 2023)

FIFA ranking: 112

Head coach: Hemed Morocco (Tanzania)

Captain: Mbwana Ally Samatta

Another of Kenya's neighbours and another Group C team with little chance to progress. They even have less AFCON experience than Uganda, as this will be only their fourth appearance (though both teams, as well as the Harambee Stars, have automatically qualified for the next continental tournament as hosts), and in the previous three, they failed to advance.

Moreover, in nine games at the Africa Cup of Nations, Tanzania recorded just three draws and remain winless. Two years ago, they finished at the bottom of the group alongside Morocco, DR Congo, and Zambia, but managed to avoid defeats against the Copper Bullets and Leopards.

In the 2025 AFCON qualifiers, they managed to stun Guinea, beating them both times, and grab second place behind, again, DR Congo.

Yet, the Morocco tournament isn't coming at the right time for the Taifa Stars, as they have been winless for seven games straight. They last time emerged victorious on August 9, when they beat Madagascar at the African Nations Championship.

Hence, their chances are even smaller than Uganda's, but still exist. The manager Hemed Morocco has been on Tanzania's bench since January 2024, and the team has continuity and stability.

Approximately 70% of the Taifa Stars roster consists of players from their home sides, Simba, Azam, and Young Africans, while the remaining ones come from England and Denmark's lower leagues, as well as Azerbaijan, Malta, Turkey, and Iraq's top divisions.

Still, the team's utmost superstar is its captain, the former Aston Villa and Fenerbahce, and the current Le Havre striker Mbwana Ally Samatta. Apart from the 32-year-old Ligue 1 player, Simon Msuva, who is one goal away from becoming the Taifa Stars' all-time joint-leading scorer, will be Tanzania's main asset.

MOZZART SPORT KENYA'S PREDICTION: Tunisia and Nigeria will top the group (slight edge for the Eagles of Carthage), and Uganda and Tanzania will be eliminated at the first hurdle.