Dec. 22, 2025 /Mpelembe Media/ — The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, a premier football tournament hosted by Morocco will span from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, the competition features 24 national teams divided into six distinct groups. The document lists specific match dates, kick-off times, and various stadium locations across the country, starting with the opening group stages and concluding with the final in Rabat.
The 2025 AFCON competition, hosted by Morocco, is organised into a structure involving 24 participating nations. These teams are divided into six groups (A through F), with four national teams assigned to each group. For example, Group A consists of Morocco, Mali, Zambia, and Comoros, while Group D includes Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, and Botswana.
Tournament Timeline
The competition follows a schedule that begins in late 2025 and concludes in early 2026, transitioning from a round-robin group stage to a knockout format. The specific timeline for each phase is as follows:
Group Phase (21 December – 31 December 2025): The tournament opens on 21 December with a match between Morocco and Comoros. Matches are played across various Moroccan cities throughout the remainder of December to decide which teams progress to the knockout stages.
Round of 16 (3 January – 6 January 2026): The first knockout round commences after the New Year, featuring matches between group winners, runners-up, and the best third-placed teams.
Quarter-finals (9 January – 10 January 2026): The remaining eight teams compete over two days to secure a spot in the final four.
Semi-finals (14 January 2026): Both semi-final fixtures take place on this day at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat and the Grand Stade de Tanger.
Third-place Match (17 January 2026): The teams that lose their semi-final matches compete for third place at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca.
The Final (18 January 2026): The tournament reaches its conclusion with the final match held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat to determine the champion.
Venue Distribution
The matches are distributed across several major stadiums and complexes in Morocco to accommodate the 24-team format. Key venues include:
Rabat: Matches are held at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, the Olympic Annex Stadium, the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium, and the El Barid Stadium.
Casablanca: The Mohammed V Stadium serves as a primary venue for multiple phases, including the third-place match.
Agadir: The Grand Stadium of Agadir hosts various group matches and a quarter-final.
Marrakech: The Grand Stade de Marrakech is used for group fixtures and a quarter-final.
Tangier: The Grand Stade de Tanger hosts matches including the first Round of 16 fixture and a semi-final.
Fès: The Stadium of the Fès Sports Complex is utilised for group stages and the Round of 16.
The tournament’s structure is like an elite pyramid; it starts with a broad base of 24 teams in group play, which is then whittled down through sudden-death knockout rounds until only the final two teams reach the pinnacle to compete for the trophy.
The four national teams that comprise Group A in the 2025 AFCON competition are:
Morocco (the host nation),,
Mali,,
Zambia,,
Comoros,,
These teams are scheduled to play their group stage matches at various Moroccan venues, including the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat and the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca,,.
The four national teams that comprise Group B for the 2025 AFCON competition are:
Egypt
South Africa (listed in the sources as Afrique du Sud)
Angola
Zimbabwe
These teams are scheduled to compete against one another during the group phase at two primary Moroccan venues: the Grand Stadium of Agadir and the Grand Stade de Marrakech. Their fixtures begin on 22 December 2025, with Egypt facing Zimbabwe and South Africa taking on Angola. The final set of matches for this group will take place simultaneously on 29 December 2025 to determine which teams will advance to the knockout stages.
The group stage acts as a competitive filter, where the intensity of the matches gradually thins the field, allowing only the most consistent performers to flow through to the Round of 16.
The four national teams that comprise Group C for the 2025 AFCON competition are:
Nigeria
Tunisia
Uganda (listed as Ouganda in some sources)
Tanzania (listed as Tanzanie in some sources)
These teams are scheduled to play their group stage matches in venues such as the Stadium of the Fès Sports Complex and the Olympic Annex Stadium Moulay Abdellah in Rabat.
The four national teams that comprise Group D for the 2025 AFCON competition are:
Senegal (Sénégal)
DR Congo (RD Congo)
Benin (Bénin)
Botswana
Group D Fixtures and Venues
These teams are scheduled to play their group stage matches in late December 2025 across multiple Moroccan venues:
23 December 2025: The group begins with DR Congo facing Benin at the El Barid Stadium in Rabat, followed by Senegal taking on Botswana at the Grand Stade de Tanger.
27 December 2025: The second round of fixtures features Benin vs Botswana at the Olympic Annex Stadium Moulay Abdellah in Rabat and DR Congo vs Senegal at the Grand Stade de Tanger.
30 December 2025: The group stage concludes with simultaneous matches where Botswana plays DR Congo at the El Barid Stadium and Benin faces Senegal at the Grand Stadium of Tangier.
Following the completion of these matches, the winner of Group D is scheduled to progress to the Round of 16 to face the third-placed team from Group B, E, or F on 3 January 2026. Additionally, the runner-up of Group D will face the winner of Group E on 6 January 2026.
The four national teams that comprise Group E for the 2025 AFCON competition are:
Algeria (Algérie)
Burkina Faso
Equatorial Guinea (Guinée Équat.)
Sudan (Soudan)
Group E Match Schedule and Venues
These teams are scheduled to compete in a round-robin format across two primary Moroccan cities:
Casablanca: Several matches, including the opener between Burkina Faso and Equatorial Guinea on 24 December, are held at the Mohammed V Stadium,,.
Rabat: The Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium serves as the other key venue, hosting fixtures such as Algeria vs Sudan and Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria,,.
The group stage for these nations concludes on 31 December 2025, with simultaneous matches to determine which teams progress to the knockout rounds. According to the tournament structure, the winner of Group E will advance to face the runner-up of Group D in the Round of 16 on 6 January 2026.
The four national teams comprising Group F in the 2025 AFCON are:
Ivory Coast (Côte d’Ivoire),
Cameroon (Cameroun),
Gabon, and
Mozambique.
These teams are scheduled to play their group stage fixtures at two primary venues in Morocco: the Grand Stade de Marrakech and the Grand Stade d’Agadir,,. The group’s matches are set to begin on 24 December 2025, with Ivory Coast facing Mozambique and Cameroon taking on Gabon. The final set of group matches will occur simultaneously on 31 December 2025, featuring Cameroon vs Mozambique and Ivory Coast vs Gabon.
Following the completion of these matches, the winner of Group F will progress to the Round of 16 to face the runner-up of Group E on 6 January 2026. Additionally, the runner-up of Group F is scheduled to play the runner-up of Group B on 4 January 2026.
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