The national football teams of Angola and Mozambique have secured their places in the final phase of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN 2025) , which will take place in Morocco in late 2025 and early 2026.

This achievement highlights the growth of football in Portuguese-speaking countries and their ability to compete among the continent's best teams. Unfortunately, Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, despite their excellent performances, failed to qualify for the final stage of the tournament.

The Angolan national team, under the guidance of Portuguese coach Pedro Gonçalves, made history by finishing the qualifying phase undefeated. In six games, Angola achieved four wins and two draws , marking the first time it has achieved this feat in its history.

Angola secured qualification and emerged as one of the most consistent teams in the group stage. They shared the qualification with Sudan, while Ghana, surprisingly, finished last. This outcome represents a clear improvement for the Angolan national team, which continues to demonstrate its strength on the field.

Mozambique also secured their place in brilliant fashion, overcoming Guinea-Bissau 2-1 in the final match. This away game was marked by a solid performance and a moment of inspiration from Geny Catamo who, with a decisive assist, helped seal the victory.

With this result, Mozambique finished second in the group, behind Mali. Guinea-Bissau finished third, while Cape Verde finished only last in the group.

This qualification represents a major achievement for Mozambican football, which continues to take important steps towards consolidating its presence in the biggest African competitions.

Cape Verde and Guinea-Bissau, despite being teams with potential, have not achieved the same success as Angola and Mozambique.

Cape Verde faced significant difficulties throughout the qualifying phase, finishing fourth in its group, behind Egypt, Botswana, and Mauritania. A lack of consistency and ineffectiveness in crucial matches contributed to this poor result.

Guinea-Bissau, meanwhile, had a promising start but failed to maintain the pace necessary to secure qualification. Despite some strong performances, the team finished third, surpassed by Mali and Mozambique.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will take place in Morocco between December 21 , 2025 and January 18, 2026. It is the highest-level football competition on the continent and will feature the participation of the 24 best African national teams.

Among the qualified teams, the following stand out:

• Cameroon and Zimbabwe (Group J)
• South Africa and Uganda (Group K)
• Senegal and Burkina Faso (Group L)

With Angola and Mozambique joining this select group, expectations are high for both teams. Angola, undefeated in qualifying, and Mozambique, with its growing consistency, now have a unique opportunity to prove their worth in Africa's most prestigious competition.

Angola and Mozambique deserve congratulations for this historic achievement, which reaffirms the strength of Portuguese-speaking football on the African continent. Their presence at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is a source of pride and also an opportunity for both national teams to write new chapters of success and elevate Portuguese-speaking football to new heights.