The 2025 africa Cup of Nations group stage concluded Wednesday with a mix of expected and surprising results, setting the stage for a compelling knockout round. Host nation Morocco, alongside tournament favorites Senegal and defending champions Côte d’Ivoire, are among the 16 teams advancing to the Round of 16, which begins January 3rd. [[1]] This year’s competition is being held across a record nine venues in Morocco, as the nation aims to demonstrate its capacity to host major international sporting events ahead of co-hosting the 2030 World Cup. [[2]]
The group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) concluded on Wednesday, December 31, delivering a mix of expected results and surprising upsets. Host nation Morocco, along with Senegal – widely considered among the tournament favorites – and defending champions Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Algeria all advanced to the Round of 16, which begins January 3rd and concludes January 6th.
Morocco silenced early doubts with a dominant 3-0 victory over Zambia on December 29th, easing pressure from demanding fans eager to see the Lions of the Atlas lift the trophy for the first time since 1976. The performance was highlighted by the return from injury of Paris Saint-Germain star Achraf Hakimi, and praised by head coach Walid Regragui. “This is a reference match in terms of unity, on the field, with the supporters,” the coach said.
On December 21st, at the 68,500-seat Prince Moulay-Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Brahim Diaz and his teammates secured a 2-0 win over Comoros, though the victory was met with boos from the home crowd at halftime. They were then held to a 1-1 draw by Mali, forcing them to wait until the final matchday to confirm first place in Group A, a position they were heavily favored to achieve.
A First for Tanzania
Having become the first African nation to reach the semi-finals of a World Cup, at Qatar in 2022, Morocco, currently ranked 11th in the FIFA world rankings, now aims to solidify its status as the continent’s top team ahead of the 2026 World Cup, co-hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico from June 11th to July 19th.
Angola, Botswana, Comoros, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Uganda, Zambia, and Zimbabwe have already been eliminated from the tournament. Of the 24 teams that began the competition, only 16 remain. Alongside Morocco, Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, Cameroon, Nigeria, and Algeria, South Africa, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali, Mozambique, the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Sudan, Tanzania, and Tunisia will continue their journey in the tournament.
The Round of 16 promises several intriguing matchups, including a clash between Mali and Tunisia on January 3rd at 8:00 PM, Egypt versus Benin on January 5th at 5:00 PM, and Algeria against the DRC on January 6th at 5:00 PM. In a historic first, Tanzania will face Morocco on January 4th at 5:00 PM.
Sparse Crowds
As a future host of the 2026 Women’s CAN and the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, Morocco is also using this CAN 2025 to demonstrate its ability to host major international sporting events. The quality of facilities, hospitality, security, and logistics are all under close scrutiny.
Several matches have been played in front of sparse crowds. In preparation for upcoming events in the coming years, Morocco has gone big. The tournament – previous editions of which have faced the same problem – is taking place in a record nine different venues, six of which have a capacity of over 40,000 seats, approaching the standards of European stadiums. Local police announced on December 23rd the arrest of eight people suspected of “illegal speculation” on the resale of tickets, and the opening of investigations.
To increase attendance, as in the past, the tournament organizing committee, with the agreement of the African Football Confederation, has authorized free access to some matches for supporters about twenty minutes after kickoff.
As the Round of 16 and its knockout matches approach, the kingdom continues to pursue its two objectives: to successfully host the tournament and to dispel any doubts about its ability to welcome major global football events.
Find the complete schedule and results of the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations and the upcoming sports lives from Le Monde.
