Zimbabwe return as they chase historic group-stage breakthrough

Zimbabwe are making their sixth appearance at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, returning to the finals after missing out on the 2023 edition. 

Their AFCON journey began in 2004, but progress beyond the group stages has so far remained elusive. Across five previous tournaments, the Warriors have played 15 matches at the finals, recording three wins, two draws and 10 defeats. They have never won an opening match at AFCON, losing four times and drawing once — the lone exception being a 2–2 draw against Algeria in 2017.

All three of Zimbabwe’s AFCON victories have followed a strikingly similar pattern. Each ended 2–1 and came in their final group game — against Algeria in 2004, Ghana in 2006 and Guinea at the 2021 edition. The win over Guinea remains their only success in the last nine AFCON matches (D2 L6), though it did raise hopes of progress. Zimbabwe have never been involved in a 0–0 draw at the finals and are yet to keep a clean sheet, with four of their 10 defeats decided by a single goal. Their heaviest loss was a 4–0 defeat to DR Congo in 2019.

Zimbabwe qualified through a disciplined campaign that saw them begin with successive 0–0 draws away to Kenya and at home to Cameroon, before claiming home-and-away victories over Namibia. A draw against Kenya preceded a narrow 2–1 loss away to Cameroon in their final qualifier. They scored six goals in qualifying, with five different players on the scoresheet and Walter Musona netting twice. Only 22 players were used throughout the campaign, with Washington Arubi, Jordan Zemura, Khama Billiat and Andrew Rinomhola featuring in all six matches, while Knowledge Musona could become the first Zimbabwean to appear at four AFCON tournaments if he takes to the field.