The group stages of the 2025 AFCON are reaching a fever pitch with several heavyweights having already punched their tickets to the knockout phase.
Six teams – South Africa, Morocco, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria and Mali – have already booked their spot. Here is what lies ahead for the continent’s top contenders.
After a dramatic 3-2 victory over Zimbabwe, secured by an Oswin Appollis penalty, Bafana finished second in Group B. Hugo Broos’s men are now set for a high-stakes encounter in Rabat on January 4.
WHO ARE BAFANA BAFANA LIKELY TO PLAY?
Their opponent is the runner-up in Group F. It is a three-way toss-up between defending champions Ivory Coast, five-time winners Cameroon, and neighbours Mozambique.
Broos was quick to admit the team’s defensive vulnerability, having conceded four goals in three matches. Facing an Ivorian or Cameroonian side will test their mettle as they look to replicate their 2023 podium finish.
Nigeria cruised through Group C, securing top spot with a game to spare. They will return to Fès on January 5 for their first knockout hurdle. They could possibly meet Mozambique as one of the top three teams from Group F. With Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman in form, the Super Eagles are heavy favourites.
Both Egypt and Algeria have been clinical, topping their respective groups with perfect or near-perfect records. The Pharaohs will face the third-placed team from Group D, which has Senegal, Benin, and DR Congo, on January 5. Riyad Mahrez and ‘Les Fennecs’ will face the runners-up of Group D on January 6. Interestingly, Algeria are yet to concede a goal.
The final Group F matches on December 31 will officially lock in the opponents for South Africa and Nigeria. All eyes remain on the Group of Death [Group D] to see where Senegal and DR Congo land, as their final positions will dictate the difficulty of the path for Egypt and Algeria.
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