- As Nigeria go for broke against Algeria
- Cameroon threaten Hosts Morocco
Football Power Houses are lining up for titanic battles with the stage now set for the quarter-final ties at the ongoing TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.
The pairings confirmed a series of heavyweight clashes as the Continent’s biggest football tournament enters its decisive phase with defending champions, Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire and record seven-time winners, Pharaohs of Egypt among an imposing last-eight line-up.
The list also includes former champions and established contenders Senegal, Cameroon, Nigeria and Algeria, alongside ambitious West African rivals Mali and tournament hosts, Morocco.
With the Africa’s flagship football competition continuing to serve mouthwatering clashes, the eight countries secured their berths in the quarters after Tuesday night’s conclusion of an absorbing Round of 16 matches.
As expected, Egypt, the most successful nation in AFCON history, booked their place with a hard-fought extra-time victory over Republic of Benin, while Cup holders, Elephants of Cote d’Ivoire kept alive the hope of their successful title defence by overwhelming Stallions of Burkina Faso 3-0.
Buoyed by vociferous home support and their historic status as the first African nation to reach a FIFA World Cup semi-final, hosts, Atlas Lions of Morocco, b edged past Taifa Stars Tanzania to progress.
The Teranga Lions of Senegal, who were crowned African champions in 2021, extended their impressive consistency with victory over Sudan’s Falcons of Jediane, while the Eagles of Mali continued their reputation as one of the tournament’s most resilient sides taking out fellow Carthage Eagles of Tunisia on penalties despite spending large periods of the match playing with ten men.
For the Super Eagles of Nigeria, they underlined their attacking credentials with a commanding 4-0 victory over the Mambas of Mozambique, inspired by a brace from Victor Osimhen, while Desert Warriors of Algeria required extra time to see off the Leopards of DR Congo, with substitute Adil Boulbina striking late to secure progression for the North Africans.
Not forgetting another former champions, the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon who had to dig deep while seeing off Bafana Bafana of South Africa 2-1 in their tension-soaked last 16 encounter.
Already, football pundits are excitedly talking about mouth-watering and blockbuster confrontations between Egypt, the competition’s most successful nation with seven titles, and defending champions, Cote d’Ivoire on Saturday.
Similarly, Hosts Morocco are up against five-time African champions, Cameroon in what promises to be a stern test and one of the tournament’s most intense quarter-final pairings on Friday.
Also, an all–West African showdown puts former champions Senegal up against a resilient and talented Mali side in Friday’s first game.
This is as Nigeria keep a date with Algeria in a clash between two continental long-time rivals in the first match of Saturday.
The quarter-final schedule, which offers a series of exciting encounters as the competition builds towards its climax, will be played over two days, with the winners advancing to the semi-finals as the race for continental supremacy intensifies in Morocco.
AFCON 2025 Quarter-Finals Fixtures
(All kick-off times are local time in Morocco)
Friday, 9 January
17:00 — Mali vs Senegal
20:00 — Cameroon vs Morocco
Saturday, 10 January
17:00 — Algeria vs Nigeria
20:00 — Egypt vs Côte d’Ivoire
