Botswana’s group fate for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals slated for 21st December 2025 to 18th January 2026 in Morocco has been revealed.
The Zebras, as the country’s senior men football national team is affectionately known, find themselves in Group D alongside Senegal, Benin and DR Congo. The Zebras’ opening game will be against the Teranga Lions of Senegal on the 23rd of December.
Despite its heroic performance during the qualifying stage, beating Cape Verde home and away and their outstanding performance against Egypt, the Zebras will be viewed as the cannon fodder of their group. Football analyst Baboloki Mokete says many have already written them off the tournament.
“On Monday after the draw was done, people started giving Senegal and DR Congo bets that they will excel from group D. Knowing that people have already ruled us out, we need to fight with everything we have to make it through the next stage and we should not compare ourselves with other teams.”
“As the top two teams automatically qualify for the knockout stages, the third-placed teams will compete for the remaining spots. The best four will make up the rest of the numbers in the round of 16. If top two becomes difficult for the Zebras to attain, they should fight with their all to land in the best third-place to make it to round of 16,” he elaborated.
Mokete pointed out that looking at the group Botswana has drawn, they will surely be going to Morocco as under dogs. He however says, the Zebras should use this to their advantage to shock Africa.
“Going into the draw, I am sure other nations were hoping to get us looking at our performance. We have been drawn into a really tough group, but I would reiterate the words of our coach saying that even if we were drawn in any group, we would still say it is a tough group.”
“We know that anything is possible in football and of recent we have been seeing underdogs doing well. For us, we need to go into this tournament with our eyes wide open with the knowledge that we are underdogs. But above all else we need to be as prepared as much as possible. If we are to go to the next stage, preparation is key for us,” he further says.
“I would love to steal the word of Coach Morena Ramoreboli, when he said it does not matter the group the Zebras is placed under because we will view each group as difficult. We are among 24 best teams of Africa and we should see ourselves as such,” he says.
For his part, Kagiso Kgaogano, football analyst says Didier Gomes Da Rosa has helped us witness the best formation that best works for the Zebras. This being, a vigorous defence team; saying this can be built from the goal keeper and then from the back line.
“My wish is that when we get into off- season, BFA should create training camps for Ramoreboli and the boys. They need to fully connect and understand each other and what they are great at and what needs to be done to improve them. Friendly games should also be created for them with robust teams as well. By the time we start the 2025/2026 season, we should have established the core of the team. A lot can be done in just a year and we should use anything and everything to assist the boys to perform much better than previously. With more resources I am sure we will make it to the round of 16,” says Kgaogano.
