As the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Morocco gets into the homestretch, supremacy battles are clearly drawn with the tournament’s favourites set for grueling encounters.
With high expectations and ambitions the reaching fever pitch, the last eight teams at the quarter-finals of the tournament sponsored by TotalEnergies will on Friday start engaging on a knockout basis as the event moves closer to its conclusion.
With so much pedigree concentrated in the last eight, the quarter-finals promises a level of intensity and tactical quality befitting the latter stages of Africa’s premier football competition.
Friday’s opening quarter-final delivers an all-West African battle, with holders Senegal taking on a determined Mali at the Grande Stade de Tanger with kick-off at 19h00 Kenyan time (16h00 GMT).
Senegal have played all four of their matches at the tournament in Tangier. Mali have played three games in Casablanca, including two group games and their Round of 16 clash, and one group match in Rabat.
Tournament hosts Morocco face a formidable challenge against five-time champions Cameroon also on Friday at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat with kick-off at 22h00 Kenyan local time (19h00 GMT) in a contest expected to rank among the most fiercely contested matches of the last eight.
Nigeria and Algeria, two of the continent’s traditional powerhouses, will go head-to-head in Saturday’s opening tie.
One of the headline fixtures sees record seven-time winners Egypt lock horns with defending champions Côte d’Ivoire in a high-profile quarter-final will also be played on Saturday 10.
Seven of the eight quarter-finalists are former African champions, a level of historical concentration rarely seen at this stage of the competition, and one that sets the tone for a fiercely competitive run-in to the final.
Record seven-time winners Egypt once again lead the way, joined by five-time champions Cameroon, three-time winners Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria, as well as former champions Algeria, Senegal and hosts Morocco.
The only exception is Mali, who remain in search of a first continental crown but have earned admiration for their resilience and consistency over recent editions.
Notably, all six group winners Morocco, Cote d’Ivoire, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria and Nigeria progressed directly to the quarter-finals, reinforcing the sense that the tournament’s leading contenders have asserted themselves at the decisive stage.
Cameroon and Mali, both runners-up in their groups, also advanced, while all teams that qualified as best third-placed sides were eliminated in the Round of 16.
The Round of 16 itself underlined the weight of experience carried by the quarter-finalists.
Mali eliminated 2004 champions Tunisia on penalties, Egypt edged through extra time, Nigeria delivered a statement victory, and Algeria required late drama to progress, while hosts Morocco and holders Cote d’Ivoire negotiated tense encounters under pressure.
AFCON total titles 22 represented among the quarter-finalists include Egypt – 7 titles, Cameroon – 5 titles, Cote d’Ivoire – 3 titles, Nigeria – 3 titles, Algeria – 2 titles, Senegal – 1 title, Morocco – 1 title and Mali – 0 titles.
By Anita Omwenga
