Fixtures

By Olawale Lawanson Alabi (www.crestnewsonline.ng)

Abuja (January 1, 2026) The fixtures for the Round of 16 at the CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tagged “Morocco 2025” have been set.

This followed a thrilling group stage campaign which ended Wednesday evening and highlighted the world-class quality of football on the continent.

This first knockout stage, also known as Round of 16, will be staged from Saturday to Tuesday, and will lead to qualification for the quarter-final stage.

Two matches are slated for each day at 17h00 local time/16h00 GMT and 20h00 local time/19h00 local time.

Hosts Morocco face Tanzania at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat on Sunday (17h00 local time/16h00 GMT) with an expectant crowd roaring them on as they seek a first continental title in 50 years.

Morocco topped Group A, with Tanzania qualifying as one of the four best third-placed sides out of Group C.

South Africa and Cameroon will lock horns later that same day at the Al Medina Stadium in Rabat (20h00 local time/19h00 GMT).

It is a match that will pit coach Hugo Broos against the side he led to the title in 2017.

Before those fixtures, 2021 winners Senegal take on Sudan on Saturday (17h00 local time/16h00 GMT) in the first of the Round of 16 games at the Grand Stade de Tangier to kick off the knockout phase.

Later that evening Mali tackle Tunisia (20h00 local time/19h00 GMT) at the Stade Mohammed V in Casablanca, with the former seeking a maiden continental crown and Tunisia looking to repeat their 2004 triumph.

Egypt are record seven-time winners of the AFCON but have not lifted the trophy since 2010, a long wait for fans of the Pharaohs, but they now face Benin on Monday (17h00 local time/16h00 GMT) at the Grand Stade de Agadir.

Later that evening Nigeria, among the most impressive sides in the group stages, will play Mozambique (20h00 local time/19h00 GMT) at the Complexe Sportif de Fès.

They will be seeking to go one better than their silver medal finish at the 2023 edition.

Algeria and the Democratic Republic of Congo meet on Tuesday (17h00 local time/16h00 GMT) at the Stade Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan in Rabat.

The round will end with a meeting between defending champions Cote d’Ivoire and west African neighbours Burkina Faso(20h00 local time/19h00 GMT) at the Grand Stade de Marrakech.

The quarter-finals will be played from January 9 to January 10, with the final match scheduled for January 18 at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah.

THE FIXTURES

January 3
Senegal vs Sudan

17h00 local time/16h00 GMT
Grand Stade de Tangier

Mali vs Tunisia

20h00 local time/19h00 GMT
Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca

January 4

Morocco vs Tanzania

17h00 local time/16h00 GMT
Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah, Rabat

South Africa vs Cameroon

20h00 local time/19h00 GMT
Stade Al Medina, Rabat

January 5
Egypt vs Benin

17h00 local time/16h00 GMT
Grand Stade de Agadir

Nigeria vs Mozambique

20h00 local time/19h00 GMT
Complexe Sportif de Fès

January 6
Algeria vs DR Congo

17h00 local time/16h00 GMT
Stade Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan, Rabat

Côte d’Ivoire vs Burkina Faso

20h00 local time/19h00 GMT
Grand Stade de Marrakech

(www.crestnewsonline.ng)