The AFCON 2025 knockout bracket has been confirmed following the conclusion of the group stage, with 16 teams left standing after 36 matches.
Nigeria and Algeria were the standout sides of the opening phase — the only two teams to finish with a perfect nine points — and have been placed on the same side of the draw, meaning they could meet as early as the quarter-finals, with hosts Morocco potentially awaiting the winner in the semi-finals.
Eight of the 24 teams that started AFCON 2025 were eliminated during the group stage, with Comoros, Zambia, Angola, Zimbabwe, Uganda, Botswana, Equatorial Guinea and Gabon all going no further.
But the 16 remaining nations can now all see their potential routes to the final on January 18.
AFCON 2025 knockout bracket
The bracket for the knockout rounds of AFCON 2025 has been confirmed
Nigeria vs Algeria looks set to be the pick of the quarter-finals, if the round of 16 goes with form. The Super Eagles and the Fennecs won all three of their group matches and would be strong favourites to progress.
The other quarter-final in the bottom half of the draw could also be a heavyweight clash. Should Morocco beat Tanzania, the hosts would face either South Africa or the runner-up from Group F in the last eight.
In the top half of the draw, Senegal will have the luxury of remaining in Tangier up to and including the semi-finals. Sadio Mane and co spent their entire Group D campaign in the coastal city, taking seven points from matches against Botswana, DR Congo and Benin.
But the level of opposition is likely to rise quickly, with Mali or Tunisia awaiting in the quarter-finals should Senegal progress, followed by a potential semi-final showdown with Egypt — who started the tournament top of the all-time AFCON table.
AFCON 2025 round of 16 fixtures
| Date | Kick-off | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 3, 2026 | 5pm | Senegal vs Sudan | Tangier |
| Jan 3, 2026 | 8pm | Mali vs Tunisia | Casablanca |
| Jan 4, 2026 | 5pm | Morocco vs Tanzania | Rabat |
| Jan 4, 2026 | 8pm | South Africa vs Cameroon | Rabat |
| Jan 5, 2026 | 5pm | Egypt vs Benin | Agadir |
| Jan 5, 2026 | 8pm | Nigeria vs Mozambique | Fez |
| Jan 6, 2026 | 5pm | Algeria vs DR Congo | Rabat |
| Jan 6, 2026 | 8pm | Ivory Coast vs Burkina Faso | Marrakesh |
Quarter-finals
There will be two days without AFCON action between the round of 16 and the quarter-finals, which will be held between January 9 and 10.
Tangier, Rabat, Marrakesh and Agadir will host the four matches during this stage. The biggest crowd is expected to be at Rabat’s 69,500-seater Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where Morocco will be playing, provided they avoid a shock defeat by Tanzania in the previous round.
AFCON 2025 quarter-final fixtures
| Date | Kick-off | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 9, 2026 | 5pm | Mali/Tunisia vs Senegal/Sudan | Tangier |
| Jan 9, 2026 | 8pm | Egypt/Benin vs Ivory Coast/Burkina Faso | Agadir |
| Jan 10, 2026 | 5pm | South Africa/Cameroon vs Morocco/Tanzania | Rabat |
| Jan 10, 2026 | 8pm | Algeria/DR Congo vs Nigeria/Mozambique | Marrakesh |
Semi-finals
Both semi-finals are taking place on January 14, meaning that two of the teams will have been afforded an extra day off following their last match.
If the knockout matches were all won by the team with the higher FIFA world ranking then the semi-finals would be Senegal vs Egypt and Morocco vs Algeria.
AFCON 2025 semi-final fixtures
| Date | Kick-off | Match | City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 14, 2026 | 6pm | Mali/Tunisia/Senegal/Sudan vs Egypt/Benin/Ivory Coast/Burkina Faso | Tangier |
| Jan 14, 2026 | 9pm | South Africa/Cameroon/Morocco/Tanzania vs Algeria/DR Congo/Nigeria/Mozambique | Rabat |
Third-place play-off
Unlike at the Euros, there is still a third-place play-off at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The third-place play-off will take place at 5pm on January 17 — 27 hours before the final — and will be held at Casablanca’s Stade Mohammed V, where the capacity is 45,000
Final
The final of AFCON 2025 will be the seventh game at the tournament to be held at Rabat’s Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. It will kick off at 8pm on January 18.
As well as receiving a shiny gold trophy and the title of champions of Africa, the winner of the final will take home $7 million of the total $32m AFCON 2025 prize money.
