Group D presents a diverse competitive landscape: Benin return with ambitions of surpassing their 2019 breakthrough, Botswana enter only their second finals seeking credibility, DR Congo draw on deep tournament pedigree, and Senegal arrive as recent champions determined to reassert their continental influence.
Benin travel to Morocco with a renewed sense of direction and the ambition to challenge established hierarchies within African football.
This will be their fifth Africa Cup of Nations appearance and their first since 2019, a tournament in which they reached the quarterfinals without recording a win in regulation time. That run featured a memorable Round of 16 victory over hosts Morocco via penalties, marking the high point of the Cheetahs’ modern era.
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Under the stewardship of former Nigeria coach Gernot Rohr, Benin have restored competitive balance, successfully integrating defensive stability with purposeful attacking play.
Central to their identity is captain Steve Mounié, whose physical presence and aerial strength provide a focal point up front. The squad enters Morocco believing that another historic campaign is achievable.
AFCON Group A: Morocco lead competitive field
Botswana return to the Africa Cup of Nations for only the second time, carrying measured optimism and a desire to redefine their competitive standing. Their lone previous appearance came in 2012, where they exited after facing a formidable group containing Ghana, Mali and Guinea. Guided since January by South African coach Morabo Moroeng, the Zebras have undergone steady structural improvement.
Captain Thatayaone Ditlhokwe’s move to Libyan side Al-Ittihad has expanded his experience, while forward Tumisang Orebonye offers both maturity and regular goal-scoring output.
Botswana advanced through a difficult qualification path, finishing second behind Egypt. While seen by many as outsiders in this group, their resilience and tactical discipline allow them to approach the tournament with strategic confidence.
DR Congo enter their 21st AFCON campaign with significant heritage and aspirations of recapturing the success that brought them titles in 1968 and 1974. They have remained competitive in modern editions as well, placing third in 1998 and 2015 and securing a fourth-place finish in 2023 after losing to eventual champions Côte d’Ivoire in the semi-finals.
AFCON Group B: Bafana, Egypt headline complex battlefield
French coach Sébastien Desabre has shaped the team into a coherent, tactically adaptable counterattacking outfit.
Among their key figures is Yoane Wissa, named to the 2023 Team of the Tournament and Brentford’s all-time Premier League top scorer. His dynamism symbolises a broader squad equipped to contend meaningfully in Morocco.
Senegal, champions in 2021, enter the tournament seeking to reclaim a place at the pinnacle after their Round of 16 exit in 2023. The Lions of Teranga have regrouped under coach Pape Bouna Thiaw, whose energetic and high-pressing philosophy has revitalised the team’s approach.
A member of the iconic Senegal side that reached the 2002 FIFA World Cup quarterfinals, Thiaw has blended established stars with promising younger players in pursuit of a balanced and competitive team identity.
The squad retains its core quality through figures such as Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Édouard Mendy, while rising midfielder Lamine Camara—winner of consecutive CAF Young Player of the Year awards—adds a dynamic element to the squad’s midfield structure. Senegal progressed through qualification unbeaten, underscoring their status as leading contenders for the title.
AFCON Group C: Powerhouse Nigeria lead evolving Tunisia, Tanzania
One of Group D’s defining fixtures will be Senegal versus DR Congo on 27 December. With considerable European-based talent on both sides, the match is expected to deliver high technical quality and may ultimately determine the group winner.
Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images
