AFCON 2025: Who is playing in the round of 16? All to know

As the New Year begins – and with an action-packed radical signifier present successful the rear presumption reflector – the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) moves into the knockout phase, with the circular of 16 getting nether mode connected Saturday.

Here’s each to cognize astir the 8 fixtures:

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⚽ Senegal vs Sudan

When: January 3, 5pm/16:00 GMT
Where: Ibn Batouta Stadium successful Tangier

Pre-tournament favourites Senegal unfastened their AFCON round-of-16 run against Sudan, the lowest-ranked broadside near successful the contention and appearing successful the knockout stages for the archetypal clip successful 14 years.

Senegal finished apical of Group D with 7 points aft 2 wins and a draw, edging the Democratic Republic of the Congo connected extremity difference.

The 2022 champions, boasting sizeable attacking firepower successful Nicolas Jackson and Sadio Mane, volition commencement arsenic wide favourites but volition beryllium without skipper Kalidou Koulibaly, who was sent disconnected successful their last radical match.

The 117th-ranked Sudan progressed arsenic 1 of the 4 champion third-placed teams, collecting 3 points successful Group E courtesy of a triumph implicit Equatorial Guinea: a effect that marked lone their second-ever triumph astatine AFCON since lifting the trophy successful 1970.

Reaching the last-16 represents a important accomplishment for Sudan, whose footballing advancement has travel amid ongoing turmoil astatine home. Sudan has been ravaged by war since warring broke retired betwixt Sudan’s service and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces successful April 2023.

⚽ Mali vs Tunisia

When: January 3, 8pm local/19:00 GMT
Where: Stade Mohammed V successful Casablanca

This round-of-16 showdown brings unneurotic 2 acquainted AFCON foes, arsenic Group A runners-up Mali instrumentality connected Group C’s second-placed broadside Tunisia.

Mali progressed with 3 points aft drafting each 3 radical matches, portion Tunisia precocious with four, courtesy of 1 triumph and 1 draw. Neither broadside acceptable the radical signifier alight, but some could usage this circular arsenic a accidental to reset and rise their level.

The 2 teams person met 15 times crossed competitory fixtures and friendlies, with Tunisia holding a constrictive borderline successful the head-to-head, claiming 7 victories to Mali’s five, portion 3 matches ended successful a draw. Their astir caller gathering came astatine AFCON successful January 2024, erstwhile they played retired a 1-1 gully successful the radical stage.

Mali, who finished runners-up astatine the tourney successful 1972, volition beryllium without midfielder Amadou Haidara aft helium was sent disconnected precocious successful their past game.

⚽ Morocco vs Tanzania

When: January 4, 5pm/16:00 GMT
Where: Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium successful Rabat

Hosts Morocco, Africa’s highest-ranked federation astatine 11th successful the world, person lined up a gathering with Tanzania, who ended a 45-year hold to play successful the AFCON knockouts. With conscionable 2 points from 3 Group C games, Tanzania squeezed into the past 16 arsenic 1 of the 4 champion third-placed teams, edging retired Angola connected goals scored.

Morocco, meanwhile, topped Group A with 7 points from 2 wins and a draw. Despite being tipped arsenic overwhelming favourites, the Atlas Lions faced aboriginal disapproval aft a nervy opening-day triumph implicit minnows Comoros and a gully with Mali, earlier restoring assurance with a convincing 3-0 triumph implicit Zambia successful their last radical match.

Coach Walid Regragui, who had earlier apologised to frustrated fans for the team’s underwhelming performance, is targeting the country’s 2nd continental crown, 50 years aft Morocco’s maiden AFCON triumph.

Morocco skipper Achraf Hakimi missed the archetypal 2 radical games owed to an ankle wounded but came disconnected the seat successful the last radical fixture against Zambia connected Monday [Themba Hadebe/AP]

⚽ South Africa vs Cameroon

When: January 4, 8pm local/19:00 GMT
Where: Al Barid Stadium successful Rabat

Oswin Appollis’s precocious punishment capped a five-goal thriller against Zimbabwe and sealed South Africa’s transition to the circular of 16 arsenic Group B runners-up. Bafana Bafana finished the radical signifier with 2 wins and 1 decision and present look five-time champions Cameroon.

South Africa, 1 of the 7 AFCON participants to person booked their spot astatine FIFA World Cup 2026, finished 3rd astatine AFCON 2023 but are yet to afloat deed apical cogwheel this time. They volition beryllium hoping to find their bushed against Cameroon, who progressed arsenic Group F runners-up aft an unbeaten group-stage run that included 2 victories.

Sunday’s contention volition people the 10th gathering betwixt the sides: 5 of their erstwhile encounters ended successful draws, with South Africa claiming 3 wins and Cameroon prevailing conscionable once.

⚽ Egypt vs Benin

When: January 5, 5pm/16:00 GMT)
Where: Adrar Stadium successful Agadir

An unbeaten group-stage run saw Egypt decorativeness apical of Group B with 7 points. Even with a second-string lineup and cardinal players specified arsenic Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush rested, the Pharaohs played retired a goalless gully successful the last radical lucifer against Angola to support up their momentum.

That consistency has fuelled a content among the squad and fans alike that Egypt could yet person committedness into silverware aft years of adjacent misses, arsenic the grounds seven-time champions pursuit a archetypal AFCON rubric since 2010.

Benin, by contrast, scraped into the last-16 acknowledgment to a azygous result: a 1-0 triumph implicit Botswana successful Group D, which besides marked their maiden triumph astatine the AFCON finals. It took them 16 attempts to registry that breakthrough pursuing their debut successful 2004, contempt their tally to the quarterfinals successful 2019.

Facing the mightiness of Egypt, Benin volition beryllium hoping to treble that tally and outpouring different AFCON upset.

All eyes are connected superstar Mohamed Salah, centre, arsenic helium aims to triumph his archetypal – and Egypt’s eighth – AFCON crown [Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP]

⚽ Nigeria vs Mozambique

When: January 5, 8pm local/19:00 GMT
Where: Fez Stadium successful Fez

Nigeria were the archetypal broadside to publication their spot successful the circular of 16 with a cleanable group-stage record, asserting their dominance aboriginal successful the tournament.

The Super Eagles person rapidly enactment their disappointment of missing retired connected the World Cup down them, soaring successful Morocco connected the backmost of a talented squad featuring established stars Ademola Lookman, Raphael Onyedika, Victor Osimhen and Alex Iwobi.

The Group C winners present look Mozambique, who finished 3rd successful Group F with 3 points and are making their archetypal quality successful an AFCON knockout stage. The Mambas ended a 40-year hold for a triumph astatine the continental finals by edging Gabon 3-2 – a effect that yet secured their progression.

Monday’s clash represents Mozambique’s sternest trial yet, arsenic they pursuit a maiden triumph implicit Nigeria, having mislaid 4 times and drawn erstwhile successful 5 erstwhile meetings with the erstwhile champions.

Nigeria, successful statistical terms, person the champion onslaught astatine the tourney with a full of 8 goals scored successful 3 radical matches [File: Mosa’ab Elshamy/AP]

⚽ Algeria vs DR Congo

When: January 6, 5pm/16:00 GMT
Where: Moulay Hassan Stadium successful Rabat

After Nigeria, Algeria were the lone different broadside to grounds a cleanable group-stage campaign, topping Group E successful benignant acknowledgment to the objective finishing of Riyad Mahrez and Ibrahim Maza. The North Africans person squad extent and person underlined their credentials arsenic rubric contenders – but their archetypal knockout duty poses a tricky trial against DR Congo.

DR Congo finished runners-up successful Group D with 2 wins and a draw, producing disciplined displays astatine some ends of the pitch. This round-of-16 gathering is arguably the astir intriguing tie, pitting 2 in-form sides who are yet to sensation decision successful Morocco.

History, however, favours Algeria, who are unbeaten against DR Congo successful six erstwhile encounters, signaling 2 wins and 4 draws. Tuesday’s clash volition people their archetypal gathering successful 7 years.

⚽ Ivory Coast vs Burkina Faso

When: January 6, 8pm local/19:00 GMT
Where: Marrakesh Stadium successful Marrakesh

Title holders Ivory Coast sealed apical spot successful Group F with 7 points aft a comeback triumph successful their last radical match, finishing up of Cameroon connected goals scored. Winger Amad Diallo has been among their standout performers, netting 2 of the team’s 5 goals successful the radical stage.

The Ivorians circular disconnected the last-16 fixtures against Burkina Faso, who finished runners-up successful Group E with 2 wins and 1 defeat.

The West African rivals are nary strangers to each other, having met 20 times successful each competitions and friendlies. Ivory Coast clasp the precocious manus with 9 victories, portion 8 encounters ended successful draws, and Burkina Faso person prevailed connected conscionable 3 occasions.