Reigning AFCON champion and Cote D’Ivoire coach Emerse Fae has welcomed the 2025 AFCON qualifiers draw and promised to avenge the 3-0 defeat they suffered against Zambia, the last time the two teams met.

Fae was speaking to SABC Sport after they were drawn in Group G against Zambia, Sierra Leone, and Chad for these qualifiers.

The Elephants, now chasing their fourth AFCON title after winning on home soil earlier this year, lost 3-0 to Zambia in the 2023 AFCON qualifiers. Fae promises sweet revenge against Chipolopolo.

“I’m happy because we’re gonna play against a Zambia that we know very well because we played against Zambia for the qualifying. We lost 3-0 there and we know the mistakes that we don’t have to do again to beat them, so I’m happy about that,” Fae said.

The Elephants beat Nigeria 2-1 in the 2023 AFCON final played at the Alassane Ouattara Stadium in Abidjan. Having avoided teams from North Africa and East Africa, Fae said playing against neighbouring countries like Sierra Leone and Chad also gives them an advantage of remaining within West Africa in their qualification campaign.

“About the two other teams in our group, I’m happy because I wanted teams not too far from Cote D’Ivoire and Siera Leone and Chad is not too far so it’s gonna be a game close to the west and I’m happy about that. I think in Africa, you don’t have no small teams, so all the teams are able to give you a challenge,” the coach explained.