Exciting Round of 16 line-up complete at TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025
Published: Wednesday, 31 December 2025
The fixtures for the Round of 16 at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 have been set following a thrilling group stage campaign that highlighted the world-class quality of football on the continent.
The first knockout stage will be staged from Saturday, 3 January to Tuesday, 6 January, with two matches every day at 17h00 local time / 16h00 GMT and 20h00 local time / 19h00 local time as the remaining sides battle it out for a quarter-final place.
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), pitting 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 TotalEnergies CAF AFCON but have not lifted the trophy since 2010, a long wait for fans of the Pharaohs. They 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 as they seek 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, before the round concludes in a meeting between defending champions Cote d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso (20h00 local time / 19h00 GMT) at the Grand Stade de Marrakech.
The quarter-finals will be played on 9-10 January, with the final scheduled for 18 January at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah.
TOTALENERGIES CAF AFCON MOROCCO 2025 ROUND OF 16 FIXTURES
Saturday, 3 January 2026
Senegal vs Sudan
17h00 local time / 16h00 GMT
Grand Stade de Tangier
Mali vs Tunisia
20h00 local time / 19h00 GMT
Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca
Sunday, 4 January 2026
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
Monday, 5 January 2026
Egypt vs Benin
17h00 local time / 16h00 GMT
Grand Stade de Agadir
Nigeria vs Mozambique
20h00 local time / 19h00 GMT
Complexe Sportif de Fès
Tuesday, 6 January 2026
Algeria vs DR Congo
17h00 local time / 16h00 GMT
Stade Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan, Rabat
Cote d’Ivoire vs Burkina Faso
20h00 local time / 19h00 GMT
Grand Stade de Marrakech. Rewrite and reframe the text
The Road to Rabat: AFCON 2025 Round of 16 Fixtures Confirmed
The group stage drama of AFCON 2025 has officially concluded. Following a nail-biting Tuesday night that saw Nigeria dominate Uganda and Tanzania pull off a historic escape against Tunisia, the full lineup for the Round of 16 is locked in.
While the exact bracket and matchups will be finalized this evening, the 16 nations left standing in Morocco have been confirmed.
Tuesday Night Drama: The “Taifa Stars” Shine
The final spots came down to the wire in Group C.
Nigeria Cruises: The Super Eagles ended Uganda’s “miracle” hopes with a clinical 3-1 victory.1 A red card for Uganda in the second half sealed their fate, sending them home.
Tanzania’s Historic Moment: Trailing against Tunisia, Tanzania’s Feisal Salum struck a crucial equalizer in the 48th minute.2 By holding on for a 1-1 draw, Tanzania secured qualification for the first time in their history, edging out Angola based on goals scored.
Angola Heartbreak: The Palancas Negras were officially eliminated after Tunisia failed to find a winning goal against Tanzania.
CONFIRMED: The Final 16 for AFCON 2025 Knockouts as Tanzania Makes History
The Elite 16: Who’s In?
Here are the nations that have progressed to the knockout phase:
Group
Qualified Teams
Group A
Morocco, Mali
Group B
Egypt, South Africa
Group C
Nigeria, Tunisia, Tanzania
Group D
Senegal, DR Congo, Benin
Group E
Algeria, Burkina Faso, Sudan
Group F
Cameroon, Ivory Coast, Mozambique
The Fallen: Who’s Going Home?
The tournament bids farewell to several competitive sides, including Zambia, Zimbabwe, and Angola, who all fell short in the final calculations of the best third-placed teams.
What Happens Next?
The official CAF bracket will be released on Wednesday evening. This will determine the path to the final for Bafana Bafana, who are currently bracing for a potential heavyweight clash against the likes of Ivory Coast or Cameroon.
Key Date: The Round of 16 matches are set to kick off this weekend, starting Sunday, 4 January 2026.
