What to expect from Botswana at AFCON 2025 in its second tournament participation?
by Geoffrey Ejiga | by Cydias Aujard
Group D and Botswana’s Chances of Survival
Difficult can't even begin to describe what's ahead for The Zebras in Group D. They have the slimmest chances of qualification and for very good reasons. Group D favourites Senegal are packed with stars like Sadio Mane (Al Nassr), Nicolas Jackson (Bayern), Pepe Sarr (Tottenham), and much more. In fact, almost Senegal’s entire starting lineups are first-team players for various top European teams.
That's already a game Botswana are likely to lose in Group D. However, all hope isn't lost yet. In a three-game qualifier, a win and a draw can go a long way. While Botswana are underdogs, they still have a considerable chance of picking up points against Benin or DR Congo.
Benin has just been as shaky as Botswana in recent games. Despite their impressive three-game winning streak in the World Cup qualifiers, they've only won three of their last 12 games, with six losses in that span. At 93rd, Benin is also the closest in FIFA rankings to the 138th-ranked Botswana.
Benin takes on Botswana on the 27th in the second round, and the outcome of that game will determine The Zebras’ qualification chances. The outcome of the clash between Senegal and DR Congo on the same day may also be favourable to Botswana, especially if it ends as a draw. Check out our football experts’ best AFCON 2025 predictions and betting tips for more insights.
H2H: Botswana Versus the Contenteders
Botswana vs Senegal
Ironically, Botswana’s very first game will be their hardest on paper, as they go against Senegal, the group favorites, and one of the tournament favorites. If the Zebras can even manage to take a point here, their chances of qualifying will shoot up astronomically.
However, history, along with form and team quality difference, points to another loss to The Lions of Tarenga. They last met in Group G of the 2014 AFCON qualification, where Senegal won both games (3-0 and 2-0). But it's been over a decade, and this is a much better Botswana side, who qualified off a 1-1 draw with Egypt in their last game in this competition.
Just as they stole a point from The Pharaohs on the last day, The Zebras can do so again against Senegal on their first day of the group stage.
Botswana vs Benin
Botswana will take on Benin next, and just as we mentioned, this is the game where they have the best chances of winning. They haven't met in recent history, but Benin provides Botswana with an opportunity to make history in their second-ever AFCON participation.
They're still the underdogs, but Botswana’s underdog draws against Egypt, Zambia, Comoros, Guinea, and back-to-back wins over Cabo Verde this year show us just how good they can be when the stakes are high.
Botswana vs DR Congo
The final day matchup for Botswana will be against a DR Congo side that's currently flying high. DR Congo will enter the tournament on a four-game winning streak before they face off against Senegal and Benin. For them, it's a winnable game against Botswana, and this will likely be the game to seal their qualification or elimination.
It's also been many years since DR Congo last faced Botswana. They've played twice in the last decade. DR Congo won the latest game by 2-0, but it was a friendly game. The more interesting fixture was the game before, which saw Botswana knock out DR Congo in the COSAFA Cup by 5-4 on penalties, after their 0-0 full-time draw.
Another draw against a much stronger DR Congo side will be a dream result for Botswana as they hope to book a knockout place in their second-ever AFCON appearance.
