The CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 reaches its decisive stage on Saturday as the Round of 16 kicks off, with eight knockout fixtures spread across four days and no room left for mistakes.
Following a group stage marked by late drama, tight qualification battles, and historic breakthroughs, Africa’s flagship football tournament now shifts fully into elimination mode, where one loss means the end of the road.
Former champions, title favourites, and debut knockout teams all remain in contention as the path to the final in Rabat begins to crystallise. Defending champions Côte d’Ivoire are still in the hunt, but the challenge ahead is steep.
Tournament hosts Morocco shoulder immense expectations, while established powers Senegal, Egypt, Nigeria, and Algeria look to convert solid group-stage performances into knockout success. They are joined by ambitious outsiders such as Sudan, Tanzania, and Mozambique, each hoping to extend remarkable campaigns.
With quarter-final places at stake, pressure intensifies and margins narrow. In the AFCON knockout phase, reputation offers no protection — only performance matters.
Round of 16 fixtures – CAF AFCON Morocco 2025
Saturday, 3 January 2026
-
Sénégal vs Sudan – 17:00 local / 16:00 GMT (Grand Stade de Tangier)
-
Mali vs Tunisia – 20:00 local / 19:00 GMT (Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca)
Sunday, 4 January 2026
-
Morocco vs Tanzania – 17:00 local / 16:00 GMT (Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah, Rabat)
-
South Africa vs Cameroon – 20:00 local / 19:00 GMT (Stade Al Medina, Rabat)
Monday, 5 January 2026
-
Egypt vs Benin – 17:00 local / 16:00 GMT (Grand Stade d’Agadir)
-
Nigeria vs Mozambique – 20:00 local / 19:00 GMT (Complexe Sportif de Fès)
Tuesday, 6 January 2026
-
Algeria vs DR Congo – 17:00 local / 16:00 GMT (Stade Prince Héritier Moulay El Hassan, Rabat)
-
Côte d’Ivoire vs Burkina Faso – 20:00 local / 19:00 GMT (Grand Stade de Marrakech)
CAF