Group A
Across African football, Morocco has been the flagbearer over the last few years, reaching a World Cup semi-final in 2022 and winning the African Nations Championship in 2024.
That successful tournament, made up of players who ply their trade domestically, belies their star-studded senior squad, and Brahim Diaz is near the top of the list.
After switching allegiances from Spain in 2024, the Real Madrid man has been a mainstay in the team, scoring seven goals in four games in AFCON qualifying. His danger from the forward line is further added to by the presence of Achraf Hakimi behind, giving the winger more time to use his dribbling prowess to beat defenders.
He will be a tricky customer throughout this tournament, and in front of his home fans, expect him to shine.
It's been a winding European road to the top for Mali's Dorgeles Nene. His path has gone through Austria, Belgium and now Turkey, where he is starring for a fearsome Fenerbahce team this season alongside the likes of Jhon Duran and Marco Asensio.
Along with his height and pace, what stands out is his position on the right wing for the Turkish side. He drifts in off the wing to provide an option in the box. For his national side, he has been deployed on the left too. A threat across the frontline, he could cause defences problems throughout the tournament.
Ranked 90th in the world, Zambia's squad is limited by talent, but their standout star is striker Patson Daka. Leading the line for the 2012 champions, the Leicester City man has struggled for goals in the last two campaigns, scoring just two league goals since August 2024.
He has fared better for his national side, though. In World Cup qualifying this year, he has three in seven, and he will be relied upon to provide the firepower.
There is the added edge that he is out of contract with the Foxes in the summer, so a good showing in Morocco could be exactly what he needs to show he can deliver on the bigger stages.
Reaching the AFCON finals for just a second time in their history, Comoros are already flying high heading into the tournament. With a national population under a million, this island nation has earned plaudits for its defensive solidity, which paved their way to Morocco.
Rafiki Said makes his presence felt at the other end of the pitch. He netted crucial goals in qualifying as his team went unbeaten in their six games, and at just 25, he is seen as the future of this team.
He already has eight goals from 17 caps for his nation; he will surely add to both tallies in North Africa.
Group B
Teboho Mokoena celebrated 50 caps for his country in the last international break, and he has become a fulcrum in the heart of the team.
With big game experience, having represented club side Mamelodi Sundowns at this year's Club World Cup, the 28-year-old also helped his side finish third in the last edition of AFCON, scoring in the semi-final against Nigeria to boot.
If South Africa are to break more than 30 years of heartbreak, Mokoena will need another superb tournament.
Much like neighbours Zambia, Zimbabwe will need their star European talent to come to the fore if they are to go on a deep run in Morocco.
One of those is Udinese left-back Jordan Zemura. He is starting to show the consistency and form that many saw in him during his time at Bournemouth, where he made 19 Premier League appearances.
For his national side, his creativity is what makes him dangerous. Playing further up in a left-wing position, he is a keen dribbler and can take a wicked set-piece - can he help Zimbabwe into the knockout rounds for the first time in their history?
Whilst the likes of Omar Marmoush and talisman Mohamed Salah will carry the weight of Egyptian expectancy, it could be their forward partner of Trezeguet, who could steal the show.
Since 2025, for his country, the 31-year-old has found his best form, netting nine times in 15 games. In his previous 65 games, he had scored just 13 times. This type of turnaround shows Egypt have found the right way to play, and despite a poor showing in the last AFCON, they will be a tough opponent for anyone this time around.
At 35, Fredy leads his Angola side into their second-straight AFCON, looking to get past the quarter-finals for the first time in their history.
In 2024, the side set out 'to prove people wrong' as they went to the last-eight, but this time round, Fredy and co. will have a bit more expectation on their shoulders.
A charismatic leader never short of a quote, the Bodrumspor midfielder is known for his dynamism in the centre, but he has added an eye for goal in the campaign, netting his seasonal league record this term before the turn of the year.
His goalscoring record for his national side is nothing to shout about, but could this be the turning point for the veteran?
Group C
Tanzania head into AFCON as one of the rank outsiders, with betting companies suggesting they are 200/1 to win the tournament. If they are to shock spectators in Morocco, Novatus Miroshi will have to shine.
One of a few players who ply their trade in Europe, Miroshi has had significant gametime this season for Goztepe in Turkey's Super Lig, where the defensive midfielder has helped them to fourth in the standings at the time of writing.
A strong tackler, who enjoys a duel, expect him to be breaking up play before looking to launch counter-attacks.
Does any nation come into the tournament under a bigger cloud than Nigeria? Failing to qualify for the 2026 World Cup has left the Super Eagles needing a superb performance in Morocco to make up for it.
With the pressure on, some new faces could be what is needed for glory. One of those is Christantus Uche. His rise from non-league football in Spain to the Premier League with Crystal Palace has been meteoric, and that has now been capped off by three appearances for the national side.
He may have struggled for games recently, but he certainly has the quality to make a mark at AFCON.
Any player with Premier League experience is a huge asset to a national side at AFCON, and Hannibal is certainly that person for Tunisia.
The midfielder, formerly of Manchester United and now of Burnley, plays in the number 10 role, using his cunning and grit to break up play, whilst finding the right pass.
Just three goal contributions in four years is not a true reflection of his creativity, and he will be at the heart of anything good for Tunisia during the competition.
After taking the step into the Ugandan national side in 2025, Hibernian defender Jordan Obita is heading into his first major tournament, looking to keep clean sheets in what is a tough group.
He is an experienced campaigner in England's lower leagues, having made his name with Reading and Wycombe Wanderers. But, there is a big question mark over his fitness after sustaining an ankle injury against Celtic on November 30th. If he does play, he brings real balance to the backline, and would be a huge miss if he can't make the field.
Group D
In a squad packed full of talent, Senegal could boast the strongest starting XI of all, but Nicolas Jackson's form could be paramount to their success in North Africa.
Battling with the ageing Sadio Mane for the starting berth in the line-up, Jackson has been a great foil for Harry Kane since his loan move to Bayern Munich in the summer.
Despite spending some time on the bench at the Allianz Arena, he has scored goals coming off it, meaning Senegal have options with him. In a packed schedule, this sort of player is rare across the 24 teams, showing that despite a lack of minutes, his impact will still surely be felt.
Much like Tanzania in Group C, Botswana are unlikely to pull up any trees at AFCON. But this could be a big tournament for Tumisang Orebonye.
Despite just one goal in six games during qualifying, he picked up a 7.3 Flashscore rating in that time, showing his work away from goal is just as important to his side as the goalscoring side.
He is also one member of the squad to play outside of southern Africa; he will be able to share the experience of playing in Morocco, which can't be a bad thing for the Zebras.
There is perhaps no one in the DR Congo squad with as much top-level experience as Chancel Mbemba. The 31-year-old, now at Lille in Ligue 1, has 101 caps for his national side, and is a man for the big moment, scoring the winning penalty in the shootout against Nigeria, to send his nation to the World Cup play-offs in March.
In AFCON qualifying, he shepherded his defence to four clean sheets from six games, and is also a threat from corners, as he showed recently against Cameroon.
DR Congo could be considered a dark horse for the tournament, and Mbemba could be the leader they need to take them to glory.
Our second player, who is at Goztepe - an affiliate of Southampton - in this list is Junior Olaitan.
At 23, the midfielder has 34 caps with five goals for Benin and has played 12 matches in the Turkish Super Lig this season. A creative midfielder with four assists across AFCON and World Cup qualifying, he is part of a youthful team that are progressing well together.
He is likely to play in the 10 role during the tournament, where he will use his technical quality to unpick defences.
Group E
Star striker Mohamed Amoura has had a breakout year for the Algerian national side. He scored 10 goals in 10 World Cup qualifiers in 2025 - his best goals per game ratio in his career, and also chipped in with four assists during that campaign.
At club level, he is a threat, too. At Wolfsburg, he has four in 12 (to date) and has shown he can finish with both feet. Not only that, but he has great composure to score when one-on-one with the goalkeeper. Defences will be on notice when he takes to the pitch.
As defenders go in Serie A, Saul Coco is the definition of consistency. Across 12 games in Serie A for Torino this season, he has a 7.1 Flashscore rating, above average for his position.
For his national side, he was part of the feel-good side that took the last AFCON by storm, topping a group with Nigeria and the Ivory Coast before bowing out to Guinea in the round of 16.
A combative centre-half, he will need to find that consistency that he has at club level if his side wants to go further this time around.
As talismans go, there's none bigger than Edmond Tapsoba. A stalwart with Bayer Leverkusen, the centre-back has been at the heart of his team since coming into it as a 17-year-old.
His quality has seen Premier League clubs interested in his services. Not only is he strong defensively, but he is calm on the ball and has an eye for a line-shattering pass. Expect him to move into midfield to influence his team's chances in Group E.
Sudan may be one of the more unfancied teams going into the tournament, but two good results against Ghana in qualification suggest they will be no pushovers.
They will have to rely on record national goalscorer Mohamed Abdelrahman if they are to progress past the group stage. He has 13 goals for his national side, and at 32, this could be his final chance to make a mark on the continental stage.
Group F
At just 21, Carlos Baleba is one of the youngest players on this list, but he may have the highest price tag. Over the summer, Manchester United were willing to pay Brighton & Hove Albion around 100 million pounds for his services, and they could be back for him this January.
His qualities are clear to see. He is a driving force in midfield, with an engine perfectly suited for tournament football. Not only that, but he tackles well and has a left foot that can produce goals from outside the box.
He will be key if this turbulent Cameroon side are to lift the title for the first time since 2017.
Gabon - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang
Could this be the last chance at glory for Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang? Now 36, he has been the main man for Gabon since 2010, scoring 39 goals in that time, a national record.
They have never made it past the quarter-finals; however, the last time that happened was in 2012, losing out to Mali after extra time.
The game plan, as it has been for more than a decade, is to feed Aubameyang and let him do his thing. They are in a tough group this time around, though, and he will need to produce more magic if he is to finally strike gold for his nation.
After four successful seasons with Atletico Madrid, Reinildo made the switch to Sunderland over the summer and has looked as accomplished as you can at right back with a promoted side.
His skillset also lends itself well to playing at centre-back, which he does for Mozambique, and where he will likely play during AFCON.
He carries the country's hopes on his shoulders. Having fought to get to the very top from a young age, he will be hoping to provide some cheer back home during the competition.
With just four caps to his name going into AFCON, Yan Diomande is an outside pick for the Ivory Coast's player to watch. But, if his form with RB Leipzig is anything to go by, he will be a household name come the end of it.
The 19-year-old broke into the Bundesliga side's starting XI back in October, scoring in three straight starts. His strength stands out as a huge part of his game, shrugging off seasoned defenders with ease. His finishing is good too, able to find the net with both feet. Interestingly, the winger has played effectively on both sides of the pitch, a huge asset for his national side.
He already has two goals for the Ivory Coast from four games; expect both numbers to jump during AFCON.
