AFCON DRAW PREVIEW: IT’S NOT ABOUT GETTING AVERAGE OPPONENTS - ‘DIGGER’

MBABANE – Ahead of today’s 2025 TotalEnergies AFCON Qualifiers draw, former national team Sihlangu Manager Josiah ‘Digger’ Dlamini, has said there was no need to hope for average opponents.

“There are no longer small or preferable nations as the underdogs have stepped up their game. We only need to up our game as well, like the other small countries who have done so,” Dlamini said.  He was reacting in anticipation of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) draw scheduled for 12:30pm in Johannesburg. A total of 48 teams will engage in the official draw.

They are seeded according to the latest Federation of International Football Associations (FIFA) rankings. “It will be a tough draw, regardless of the outcome, as there are no weak nations. Take Comoros for example, with a small population, they have already punched above their weight in the ongoing  COSAFA (Council of Southern Africa Football Associations) Cup,” the Mbabane Highlanders legend further said.

Following a drop of six places in the June 20 FIFA rankings, Eswatini was placed in pot four, according to CAF draw procedures for its flagship competition qualifiers released yesterday. The Sifiso ‘Nuro’ Ntibane-led squad, with the Eswatini Football Association (EFA) in the process of recruiting a head coach, defeated Somalia 5-2 in the preliminary qualifiers to advance to the final stage.

The participating 48 teams were divided into four pots of 12, with the draw forming 12 groups (Group A to L). The top teams and runners-up from the eleven groups, excluding the group involving tournament hosts Morocco, will secure their spots in the competition. As per the seeding, Sihlangu can face any of the seeded big guns.
 

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