The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations concluded its group stage on January 1, 2026, with the Round of 16 knockout bracket now set. Morocco is hosting the 35th edition of the tournament from December 21, 2025 through January 18, 2026 across nine venues in six cities—marking the first time AFCON has been played over the Christmas and New Year period.
Group Stage Results
Group Winners: Morocco (Group A), Egypt (Group B), Nigeria (Group C), Senegal (Group D), Algeria (Group E), and Ivory Coast (Group F) all topped their respective groups.
Perfect Records: Nigeria, Egypt, and Algeria were the only teams to win all three group stage matches, each securing nine points and advancing as dominant favorites.
Group Runners-Up: Mali (Group A), South Africa (Group B), Tunisia (Group C), DR Congo (Group D), Burkina Faso (Group E), and Cameroon (Group F) qualified as second-place finishers.
Third-Place Qualifiers: Tanzania, Benin, Sudan, and Mozambique advanced as the four best third-placed teams. Sudan made history by becoming the first AFCON side to reach the knockout stage without scoring a single goal in the group phase.
Defending Champions: Ivory Coast advanced despite an inconsistent group stage, finishing atop Group F on goals scored after a dramatic 3-2 comeback victory over Gabon in their final match. The result saw them edge Cameroon, who also finished with seven points.
Notable Group Stage Developments
Tanzania ended a 45-year wait to reach the AFCON knockout stages, finishing third in Group C with two points and advancing on goals scored ahead of Angola. Mozambique secured their first-ever knockout stage appearance with a 3-2 victory over Gabon, ending a 40-year wait for a win at the continental finals. (Al Jazeera)
Sudan qualified for the knockout rounds for the first time since 2012, while Algeria completed a perfect group stage after struggling in recent tournaments where they finished bottom of their groups in both 2022 and 2024.
Round of 16 Results
Saturday, January 3:
Senegal 3-1 Sudan (Grand Stade de Tangier)
Senegal came from behind to secure their place in the quarterfinals after Sudan took a shock sixth-minute lead through Aamir Abdallah. Pape Gueye scored a brace (29', 45'+3) to give Senegal a 2-1 halftime advantage, with both goals assisted by Sadio Mané. Teenager Ibrahim Mbaye, a 17-year-old Paris Saint-Germain forward who switched his international allegiance from France to Senegal, came off the bench and sealed the victory with a goal in the 77th minute. The 2021 champions will face the winner of Tunisia vs Mali in the quarterfinals on January 9 in Tangier.
Tunisia vs Mali (8:00 PM, Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca) - In Progress
Remaining Round of 16 Schedule
Sunday, January 4:
- Morocco vs Tanzania (5:00 PM, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat)
- South Africa vs Cameroon (8:00 PM, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat)
Monday, January 5:
- Egypt vs Benin (5:00 PM, Grand Stade d'Agadir)
- Nigeria vs Mozambique (8:00 PM, Stadium of Fès Sports Complex)
Tuesday, January 6:
- DR Congo vs Algeria (5:00 PM, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat)
- Burkina Faso vs Ivory Coast (8:00 PM, Grand Stade de Marrakech)
Key Matchups and Storylines
The DR Congo vs Algeria fixture represents one of the tournament's most intriguing ties, with both teams progressing unbeaten through the group stage. Algeria holds the historical advantage, remaining unbeaten in six previous encounters against DR Congo.
South Africa's match against Cameroon features a compelling subplot, as South Africa coach Hugo Broos will face the team he led to AFCON glory in 2017.
The tournament concludes with the final on January 18, 2026 at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
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