Sierra Leone’s national football team, the Leone Stars, will not be participating in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) following Zambia’s 1-0 victory over Ivory Coast on Friday.

This result secured Zambia’s top position in Group Q of the qualifiers, eliminating Sierra Leone from contention.

Despite a hard-fought 1-1 draw against Chad on Wednesday, Sierra Leone’s hopes were pinned on an Ivory Coast win against Zambia. With Zambia’s victory, even a win in their final group game against Zambia in Monrovia on November 19th would not be enough for the Leone Stars to qualify.

This news comes as a disappointment to fans who were hopeful after the team’s recent draw against Chad. The Leone Stars had a strong start in the qualifiers but ultimately fell short in securing a spot in the tournament, which will be hosted in Morocco.

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The focus now shifts to the future as the Leone Stars look to regroup and rebuild for upcoming competitions.