As the Africa Cup of Nations enters the knockout phase, Morocco continues to impress as host of the 2025 edition, marking the second time the nation has welcomed Africa’s premier football competition. The tournament has become a celebration of the continent’s collective strength, tactical diversity, and unity through sport.
Morocco’s assumption of hosting duties after Guinea was stripped of its rights due to infrastructural challenges has been widely regarded as a testament to Africa’s adaptability and collaborative spirit. From Tangier to Agadir, the host cities have provided an electric backdrop to a tournament that embodies the vibrancy and resilience of African football.
The group stage produced a captivating mixture of dominance and surprise. Ivory Coast’s dramatic 3–2 comeback win over Gabon captured the imagination of fans, as the reigning champions secured top spot in Group F. Mozambique, advancing as one of the four best third-place finishers, carried Southern Africa’s hopes forward in what has been one of the most balanced tournaments in recent memory.
Round of 16 Fixtures
| Date | Fixture | Time (GMT) | Venue | City |
| Saturday, 3 Jan 2026 | Senegal v Sudan | 4:00 PM | Stade Ibn-Batouta | Tangier |
| Mali v Tunisia | 7:00 PM | Stade Mohamed V | Casablanca | |
| Sunday, 4 Jan 2026 | Morocco v Tanzania | 4:00 PM | Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah | Rabat |
| South Africa v Cameroon | 7:00 PM | Stade El Barid | Rabat | |
| Monday, 5 Jan 2026 | Egypt v Benin | 4:00 PM | Le Grand Stade | Agadir |
| Nigeria v Mozambique | 7:00 PM | Complexe Sportif de Fès | Fès | |
| Tuesday, 6 Jan 2026 | Algeria v DR Congo | 4:00 PM | Stade Prince Moulay Al Hassan | Rabat |
| Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso | 7:00 PM | Stade de Marrakech | Marrakech | |
Quarter-final Fixtures
| Date | Fixture | Time (GMT) | Venue | City |
| Friday, 9 Jan 2026 | R16 (2) Winner v R16 (1) Winner | 4:00 PM | Stade Ibn-Batouta | Tangier |
| R16 (4) Winner v R16 (3) Winner | 7:00 PM | Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah | Rabat | |
| Saturday, 10 Jan 2026 | R16 (7) Winner v R16 (6) Winner | 4:00 PM | Stade de Marrakech | Marrakech |
| R16 (5) Winner v R16 (8) Winner | 7:00 PM | Le Grand Stade | Agadir | |
Semi-finals
| Date | Fixture | Time (GMT) | Venue | City |
| Wednesday, 14 Jan 2026 | QF (1) Winner v QF (4) Winner | 5:00 PM | Stade Ibn-Batouta | Tangier |
| QF (3) Winner v QF (2) Winner | 8:00 PM | Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah | ||
Third-place Play-off
| Date | Fixture | Time (GMT) | Venue | City |
| Saturday, 17 Jan 2026 | Semi-final (1) Loser v Semi-final (2) Loser | 4:00 PM |
Stade Mohamed V |
Casablanca |
Final
| Date | Fixture | Time (GMT) | Venue | City |
| Sunday, 18 Jan 2026 | Semi-final (1) Winner v Semi-final (2) Winner | 7:00 PM | Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah | Rabat |
Group Stage Results Summary
| Date | Fixture | Score | Venue | City |
| 21 Dec 2025 | Morocco v Comoros | 2 – 0 | Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah | Rabat |
| 22 Dec 2025 | Mali v Zambia | 1 – 1 | Stade Mohamed V | Casablanca |
| 22 Dec 2025 | South Africa v Angola | 2 – 1 | Stade de Marrakech | Marrakech |
| 22 Dec 2025 | Egypt v Zimbabwe | 2 – 1 | Le Grand Stade | Agadir |
| 23 Dec 2025 | DR Congo v Benin | 1 – 0 | Stade El Barid | Rabat |
| 23 Dec 2025 | Senegal v Botswana | 3 – 0 | Stade Ibn-Batouta | Tangier |
| 23 Dec 2025 | Nigeria v Tanzania | 2 Р1 | Complexe Sportif de F̬s | F̬s |
| 23 Dec 2025 | Tunisia v Uganda | 3 – 1 | Stade Olympique | Rabat |
| 24 Dec 2025 | Burkina Faso v Equatorial Guinea | 2 – 1 | Stade Mohamed V | Casablanca |
| 24 Dec 2025 | Algeria v Sudan | 3 – 0 | Stade Prince Moulay Al Hassan | Rabat |
| 24 Dec 2025 | Ivory Coast v Mozambique | 1 – 0 | Stade de Marrakech | Marrakech |
| 24 Dec 2025 | Cameroon v Gabon | 1 – 0 | Le Grand Stade | Agadir |
| 26 Dec 2025 | Angola v Zimbabwe | 1 – 1 | Stade de Marrakech | Marrakech |
| 26 Dec 2025 | Egypt v South Africa | 1 – 0 | Le Grand Stade | Agadir |
| 26 Dec 2025 | Zambia v Comoros | 0 – 0 | Stade Mohamed V | Casablanca |
| 26 Dec 2025 | Morocco v Mali | 1 – 1 | Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah | Rabat |
| 27 Dec 2025 | Benin v Botswana | 1 – 0 | Stade Olympique | Rabat |
| 27 Dec 2025 | Senegal v DR Congo | 1 – 1 | Stade Ibn-Batouta | Tangier |
| 27 Dec 2025 | Uganda v Tanzania | 1 – 1 | Stade El Barid | Rabat |
| 27 Dec 2025 | Nigeria v Tunisia | 3 Р2 | Complexe Sportif de F̬s | F̬s |
| 28 Dec 2025 | Gabon v Mozambique | 2 – 3 | Le Grand Stade | Agadir |
| 28 Dec 2025 | Equatorial Guinea v Sudan | 0 – 1 | Stade Mohamed V | Casablanca |
| 28 Dec 2025 | Algeria v Burkina Faso | 1 – 0 | Stade Prince Moulay Al Hassan | Rabat |
| 28 Dec 2025 | Ivory Coast v Cameroon | 1 – 1 | Stade de Marrakech | Marrakech |
| 29 Dec 2025 | Angola v Egypt | 0 – 0 | Le Grand Stade | Agadir |
| 29 Dec 2025 | Zimbabwe v South Africa | 2 – 3 | Stade de Marrakech | Marrakech |
| 29 Dec 2025 | Comoros v Mali | 0 – 0 | Stade Mohamed V | Casablanca |
| 29 Dec 2025 | Zambia v Morocco | 0 – 3 | Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah | Rabat |
| 30 Dec 2025 | Tanzania v Tunisia | 1 – 1 | Stade Olympique | Rabat |
| 30 Dec 2025 | Uganda v Nigeria | 1 Р3 | Complexe Sportif de F̬s | F̬s |
| 30 Dec 2025 | Benin v Senegal | 0 – 3 | Stade Ibn-Batouta | Tangier |
| 30 Dec 2025 | Botswana v DR Congo | 0 – 3 | Stade El Barid | Rabat |
| 31 Dec 2025 | Equatorial Guinea v Algeria | 1 – 3 | Stade Prince Moulay Al Hassan | Rabat |
| 31 Dec 2025 | Sudan v Burkina Faso | 0 – 2 | Stade Mohamed V | Casablanca |
| 31 Dec 2025 | Gabon v Ivory Coast | 2 – 3 | Stade de Marrakech | Marrakech |
| 31 Dec 2025 | Mozambique v Cameroon | 1 – 2 | Le Grand Stade | Agadir |
The competition’s progression has reinforced the notion that African football is no longer dominated by a handful of nations. Instead, it reflects a thriving landscape of tactical innovation, regional balance, and collective excellence.
As the continent awaits the quarter-finals and beyond, Afcon 2025 continues to embody the unity, creativity, and ambition that define African football — a celebration of talent and solidarity that belongs wholly to Africa.
