When 6 Countries Were Banned From African Cup of Nations
- AFCON has a history of strict disciplinary action, with six nations previously suspended from taking part in the tournament
- Bans have stemmed from issues such as government interference, hosting withdrawals, and major political crises
- Some suspensions have lasted years, causing affected teams to miss multiple AFCON editions and major qualification cycles
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Six countries have previously been banned from competing at the Africa Cup of Nations.
On December 21, the 2025 tournament will kick off in Morocco, where the hosts face Comoros at Rabat's Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Source: Getty Images
Some of world football’s biggest stars, including Achraf Hakimi, Mohamed Salah, Nicolas Jackson, Bryan Mbeumo and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, are set to feature.
A total of 24 nations will compete across six groups of four, with the final set for Sunday, January 18, per The BBC.
With 17 squads officially announced so far, 46 players have already been confirmed for the tournament.
The hosts headline Group A alongside Mali, 2012 champions Zambia and Comoros.
Group F boasts a heavyweight showdown, with holders Ivory Coast drawn against five-time champions Cameroon, while Senegal vs DR Congo in Group D is another standout fixture.
Elsewhere, Egypt meet 1996 winners South Africa in Group B, and Group C carries a strong East African flavour with Uganda and Tanzania joining Nigeria and Tunisia.
6 countries banned from AFCON
Thankfully, no teams were banned from this year’s edition, but that hasn’t always been the case, as six different countries have been handed AFCON bans in the past.
Morocco themselves were barred from the 2017 and 2019 tournaments after withdrawing as hosts in 2015 due to the Ebola epidemic.
Source: Getty Images
Equatorial Guinea stepped in at short notice, and CAF responded by fining Morocco $1 million (£656,000) and banning them from the next two competitions.
One of the most notable bans occurred during the apartheid era, when South Africa were expelled from all continental football.
They were officially banned by FIFA for 16 years and by CAF from 1958 to 1992, effectively missing 40 years of competition, including 18 AFCON tournaments.
More recently, Zimbabwe and Kenya were excluded from the 2023 AFCON qualifiers after their federations were suspended due to government interference.
Sierra Leone suffered the same fate in the 2019 qualifiers for similar reasons, while Chad were banned from the 2017 qualification campaign after withdrawing mid-competition.
Ghana failed to qualify for 2025 AFCON
Ghana’s hopes of reaching the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco were officially crushed after a poor qualifying campaign, marking their first absence from the tournament in two decades, per ESPN.
Placed in Group F, the Black Stars played six matches without managing a single win, finishing with 0 victories, 3 draws, and 3 defeats, a disappointing tally of just three points from a possible 18.
Their campaign unraveled with a 1–1 draw against Angola, a 2–1 home loss to Niger in which Mohammed Kudus missed a crucial penalty, and earlier defeats to both Angola and Sudan that deepened their troubles.
A lack of cutting edge in attack and persistent inconsistency proved costly, leaving Ghana rooted to the bottom of the group, while Angola topped the table and Sudan secured qualification.
After the campaign, Black Stars coach Otto Addo took full responsibility for the disappointing outcome and pledged to rebuild the team’s structure, even as criticism poured in from fans, pundits, and football authorities across Ghana.
However, the team’s successful qualification for the 2026 World Cup has eased much of the pressure on Addo and his squad.
GFA shouldn't be forgiven for AFCON 2025 failure
Coach and football analyst Christopher Nimley has voiced his frustration over Ghana’s failure to qualify for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, insisting the disappointment should not be brushed aside.
“I am deeply upset that Ghana will not be at AFCON 2025. This is unacceptable for a country with our football history,” Nimley told YEN.com.gh. “The GFA and coach Otto Addo should not be forgiven for this failure. There must be accountability, because missing AFCON is a huge setback for Ghana football.”
Gyan names Nigeria among 2025 AFCON favourites
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Asamoah Gyan has shared his predictions for the 2025 AFCON, naming the teams he believes are most likely to win.
Among the favourites, Ghana's all-time leading goalscorer highlighted Nigeria as a strong contender for the title.
Source: YEN.com.gh
