THE Warriors got a tough draw for this year’s Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) finals after they were pooled with former winners Egypt and South Africa.
Zimbabwe were drawn in Group B where they will also face Angola.
The finals will be played in Morocco from December 21 2025 to January 18 2026.
Zimbabwe's senior men's national football team will face Egypt whom they also played at the 2019 finals.
But it is their rivalry with Bafana Bafana that is set to draw attention.
There will be three Cosafa-based teams in the same Pool.
Zimbabwe are the only team that was not at the last Afcon finals from their group due to a Fifa ban.
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However, this will be their fourth consecutive appearance at the finals in tournaments which they participated in.
They will be looking to go beyond the group stages for the first time in history having failed to achieve the feat in five previous attempts.
To do that, The Warriors must garner enough points in what looks like their toughest draw for the finals.
Egypt were the top seeds while South Africa, who had a good run in the last Afcon finals in Ivory Coast, were in Pot two. Angola were in Pot three while the Warriors were in Pot four as a consequence of a low ranking.
Zimbabwe played South Africa in a World Cup qualifier last year and lost the match 2-1.
The two clash again in the second leg of the same qualifier this year before they embark on the Afcon tournament.
The last time they met, Zimbabwe were under the guidance of caretaker coach Jairosi Tapera. The Warriors are now under the tutelage of German national Michael Nees, who attended last night's draw in Morocco.
Speaking from Morocco last night, Zifa president Nqobile Mangwizi said:
“I am happy with group B. We now need to prepare starting now.”
Zimbabwe's regional peers Mozambique face tricky fixtures against Cameroon, Ivory Coast and Gabon in their Pool.
Botswana face Senegal, Democratic Republic of Congo and Benin while Zambia are grouped with Morocco, Mali and Comoros.
This will be Zimbabwe’s sixth appearance at the continental showpiece having qualified for the 2004, 2006, 2017, 2018 and 2021 finals.
