The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco promises to be explosive, and all eyes are on Group F. Comprising Ivory Coast , Cameroon , Gabon , and Mozambique , this group has already earned the label of "Group of Death." But beyond the first round, a real ordeal awaits the survivors.

A merciless first round

The Ivory Coast Elephants, the reigning champions, enter the fray with unwavering confidence. Emerse Faé reiterated this point: his team is undefeated since their title win. However, the task ahead looks daunting this Wednesday against Mozambique.

The schedule leaves no room for respite:

1. Opening clash: A fratricidal duel between Gabon and Cameroon.
2. The summit: The highly anticipated Ivory Coast - Cameroon match, scheduled for December 28.

Between a Gabon on the rise and a Cameroon with its back against the wall, the slightest misstep will be fatal.

A final tableau that felt like a punishment

Unlike previous editions where some favorites benefited from relatively easy Round of 16 draws (like Morocco against Malawi in 2019), the qualifiers from Group F will have no such advantage. The draw pits them directly against the continent's giants.

Group F standings	Potential opponent in the round of 16	Profile
The 1st	2nd in Group E	Often Algeria or Burkina Faso .
The 2nd	2nd in Group B	Probably Egypt or South Africa .
The best 3rd	1st in Group B or C	Nigeria , Tunisia or Morocco (in the quarter-finals).

"Fireworks" posters starting in January

If form holds, the round of 16 could offer duels worthy of a final before the final. We can already imagine some electrifying clashes:

1. Ivory Coast vs Algeria
2. Cameroon vs Egypt
3. Gabon vs Nigeria

For football fans, the spectacle will be complete. After the holiday season, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations promises a challenging "sweet" experience where only the most resilient will survive this grueling journey.