AL KHOR, QATAR – DECEMBER 18: Players of Algeria celebrate with the FIFA Arab Cup trophy following victory during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 Final match between Tunisia and Algeria at Al Bayt Stadium on December 18, 2021 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by Maddie Meyer – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
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When the 2025 Arab Cup kicks off in Qatar from December 1 to 18, six African national teams, the Algeria national football team, Morocco national football team, Tunisia national football team, Egypt national football team, Sudan national football team, and Comoros national football team, will compete for regional honours under a revamped tournament format. With 16 teams participating and increased prestige under FIFA, this edition offers more than just regional rivalry: it provides global exposure, ranking implications, and significant commercial stakes.
What Has Changed Since 2021
The 2025 Arab Cup arrives under significantly upgraded conditions. With FIFA now firmly in charge, this edition features a record-breaking total prize pool of $36.5 million, up from approximately $25.5 million in 2021.
Additionally, the tournament now carries full competitive value, as matches will count toward the FIFA World Ranking, even though they fall outside the official international window. Participating teams will earn the same ranking-point credits as in recognised friendly matches.
Regulatory changes have also been introduced to enhance competitiveness. Starting in 2025, the first tiebreak criterion in the group stage will be head-to-head goal difference, rather than overall group goal difference, a method never before used in a FIFA-supervised senior competition. If teams remain equal, the latest FIFA rankings (instead of a random draw) will decide who advances.
For African teams, these changes mean the Arab Cup is no longer a friendly curtain-raiser; it’s a stage with tangible stakes: potential revenue, real ranking impact, and visibility that could attract scouts, sponsors, and clubs.
Africa’s Defending Champions
AL KHOR, QATAR – DECEMBER 18: Ilyes Cheti and Mohamed Tougai of Algeria celebrate with the FIFA Arab Cup trophy following the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 Final match between Tunisia and Algeria at Al Bayt Stadium on December 18, 2021 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by David Ramos – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
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Algeria will enter the 2025 Arab Cup as the defending champions, having secured its first Arab Cup title in 2021 with a 2–0 extra-time victory over the Tunisian national football team in the final.
Their success proved that victory didn’t require a fully European-based roster, but rather discipline, tactical cohesion, and competitive resilience. Heading into 2025, these strengths remain their greatest assets. On the pitch, the Greens are expected to rely on a structured, defensively disciplined setup, characterised by a compact midfield capable of absorbing pressure and striking on the break when necessary.
Given their pedigree, familiarity with tournament pressure, and the elevated stakes, Algeria stands out as the African team with the highest probability of achieving a deep run, setting the benchmark for the continent in this edition.
What the Other African Teams Bring
DOHA, QATAR – DECEMBER 01: Mohamed Afsha of Egypt celebrates after scoring their team’s first goal from a penalty during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 Group D match between Egypt and Lebanon at Al Thumana Stadium on December 01, 2021 in Doha, Qatar. (Photo by Francois Nel – FIFA/FIFA via Getty Images)
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Algeria definitely enters the tournament with a target on its back; however, focusing solely on it overlooks the broader story. The other five African teams bring variety, hope, and different tactical styles to the tournament, each with unique ambitions.
Morocco is likely to employ a technically skilled, possession-based approach. With a squad largely built from the domestic league, their strengths lie in attacking fluidity, transitions, set pieces, and team chemistry. If they maintain cohesion, they could pose a serious challenge.
Tunisia, rooted in North African pragmatism, is expected to emphasise defensive solidity, tactical discipline, and structured game plans, traits that could help it navigate a tough group stage and reach the final.
Egypt traditionally builds from controlled possession and structured build-up play; when they control the tempo, they can impose their game. The challenge will be dealing with physically robust or well-organised opponents, a test especially under the new tournament format.
Sudan may come into the tournament as underdogs, but their strengths lie in mental resilience, defensive discipline, selective pressing, and counterattacks. In tightly contested matches, particularly in knockout scenarios, that style of play can yield results.
Comoros arrives with modest expectations and a likely strategy of compact defending, opportunistic counter-attacks, and reliance on set pieces. As newcomers to this level, consistency may be a challenge, but as underdogs, they have little to lose; sometimes that status can lead to surprising outcomes.
What This Arab Cup Could Mean for African Football
AL KHOR, QATAR – DECEMBER 18: General view inside the stadium during the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2021 Final match between Tunisia and Algeria at Al Bayt Stadium on December 18, 2021 in Al Khor, Qatar. (Photo by Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
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The increased stakes of the 2025 Arab Cup offer various potential gains for African football beyond just match results. For players, this presents a valuable opportunity; strong performances could attract interest from clubs, increase market value, or open new pathways, particularly for those outside Europe’s spotlight.
For federations, favourable performances could translate into commercial leverage, heightened visibility, better sponsorship deals, or stronger bargaining power ahead of continental tournaments and qualifiers.
If several African teams produce competitive runs, the Arab Cup could evolve into a more respected event, becoming a strategic tournament that bridges Arab and African football and offers a recurring platform for talent and exposure.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/sindiswamabunda/2025/11/30/a-look-at-africas-six-teams-headed-to-the-2025-fifa-arab-cup/
