Morocco, Nigeria, Senegal and Egypt have sealed their places in the semi finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 following their last eight victories, setting up two blockbuster encounters on Wednesday.
Hosts Morocco will play star studded Nigeria while Senegal, who were first to advance to semi finals, will face Egypt. Both semi finals will be played on Wednesday, 14 January, with Senegal versus Egypt scheduled for 17h00 GMT at Grand Stade de Tanger, Tangier, and Morocco versus Nigeria at 20h00 GMT at Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah, Rabat.
Seven time champions Egypt edged Côte d’Ivoire 3–2 on Saturday night, knocking out the defending champions in a pulsating contest and sealing their place in the semi finals. Omar Marmoush, Mahmoud Rabia and Mohamed Salah scored for Egypt, while an own goal by Ahmed Fatouh and a strike by Desire Doue kept Côte d’Ivoire in contention. The victory ended the Elephants’ reign and renewed a heavyweight rivalry between Egypt and Senegal.
Senegal secured their place in the semi finals after edging past Mali 1–0 in a tense West African derby on Friday. The decisive moment came in the first half, when Iliman Ndiaye struck clinically to give the Lions of Teranga a lead they would protect with composure and authority. The Teranga Lions controlled long spells of the match, displaying the defensive organization that has made them consistent contenders in recent tournaments.
The match will set former Liverpool teammates, Sadio Mane and Mo Salah, against each other again since the 2021 AFCON final. Senegal lost that final on penalties to Egypt in Cameroon, and also suffered heartbreak in the subsequent World Cup qualification playoff. The clash promises to be another tight encounter between Senegal’s physical, structured approach and Egypt’s experience in tournament football.
Morocco eased into the semi finals with a commanding 2–0 victory over Cameroon to seal their place in the last four. Goals by Brahim Diaz and Ismaël Saibari were enough to help the host nation to advance and keep alive their hopes of winning the title at home. Brahim Díaz opened the scoring yet again, extending his scoring streak to five matches and breaking his nation’s record for most goals at one AFCON edition on his tournament debut.
The Atlas Lions are chasing their first continental title in 50 years, with home support adding belief to a side regarded as one of Africa’s most technically gifted teams. This will be Morocco’s first AFCON semi final since 2004.
Completing the quartet are Nigeria, who dispatched Algeria 2-0 in Marrakech. Victor Osimhen broke the deadlock after a tightly contested opening spell before Akor Adams sealed the win late on, confirming Nigeria’s return to the last four.
Nigeria’s quest to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup came to a painful end in November after the Super Eagles lost 4–3 on penalties to DR Congo in a tense and dramatic playoff. The failure to qualify for back to back World Cups has added urgency to the Super Eagles’ AFCON campaign, with lifting the trophy offering a chance to repair the disappointment.
The absence of Nigerian captain Wilfred Ndidi, who is suspended for this match after being booked in both previous games, may prove significant for Morocco. However, backup defensive midfielder Raphael Onyedika is a solid player in his own right.
The meeting between Morocco and Nigeria promises a contrast of styles, with Morocco’s patient buildup set against Nigeria’s direct, fast paced attacking play. With four former champions in the last four, the semi finals offer a test of mentality, tactics and experience at the highest level of African football.
The results have underlined both the quality of the favourites and the fine margins that continue to define AFCON football. The semi finals will be played on Wednesday 14 January, with the competition building towards the final on 18 January in Rabat.
