The last-16 stage of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 begins on Saturday, January 3, 2026, and concludes on Monday, January 6, 2026, with fixtures spread in eight different stadiums across Morocco.
This innovation in AFCON’s geographical format is a first in its history. This bold choice to play the round of 16 in eight different stadiums, spread across Morocco’s various regions, establishes AFCON as a decentralized popular celebration, bringing football closer to local communities and offering each host city the intensity of knockout-stage matches. It is an ambitious organization, reflecting a competition that has entered a new era.
In this innovated format, defending champions Senegal open the knockout round against Sudan on January 3 in Tangier, while Mali face Tunisia later the same day in Casablanca. Host Morocco take on Tanzania on January 4 in Rabat, a relatively favorable pairing, though a potential quarter-final against South Africa or Cameroon looms.
The standout tie is Algeria versus DR Congo, scheduled for January 6, in Rabat, marking only the third AFCON meeting between the two sides.
Other notable encounters include a Nigeria versus Mozambique match on January 5 in Fez, Egypt meet Benin earlier that day in Agadir, and a highly anticipated West African derby between Côte d’Ivoire and Burkina Faso is set for January 6 in Marrakech.
The quarter-finals are scheduled for January 9 and 10 January, with provisional match-ups already mapped out based on last-16 outcomes, setting the stage for a decisive and commercially compelling phase of the tournament as Africa’s football heavyweights converge on the business end of AFCON 2025.
