All four semi-finalists at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco will be led by African coaches, guaranteeing that the tournament’s next champion will be guided from the dugout by one of the continent’s own.
It is a first in the competition’s history and a moment that many within African football see as the culmination of years of steady change.
Once viewed as supporting figures behind foreign managers, African coaches now dominate the latter stages of the game’s biggest continental event, shaping both results and identity.
This breakthrough has been years in the making.
In 2019, Djamel Belmadi’s Algeria demonstrated that a locally born tactician could mastermind a continental triumph.
Two years later, Aliou Cissé led Senegal to their maiden AFCON title, underlining the growing authority of African coaching minds.
In 2023, Ivory Coast followed with Émerse Faé guiding the Elephants to an unexpected but expertly managed success, reinforcing the sense that the balance of power on the sidelines was shifting.
Now, that progression has reached its clearest expression yet, with four African coaches occupying the semi-final benches.
Morocco are led by Walid Regragui, a former international defender whose reputation was elevated by his country’s memorable run at the 2022 World Cup.
His approach is built on discipline, tactical clarity and collective responsibility, with Morocco combining defensive solidity with swift transitions.
Egypt turn to one of their most celebrated sons in Hossam Hassan. A towering figure in the nation’s football history, Hassan brings both charisma and authority.
His presence links Egypt’s decorated past with its present ambitions, and his teams are marked by emotional drive and a refusal to yield.
Senegal’s charge is overseen by Pape Thiaw, a former striker who has continued the project established by Aliou Cissé.
His philosophy blends close relationships with players and an emphasis on physical power and attacking invention, maintaining Senegal’s identity while refreshing its methods.
At Nigeria, Eric Chelle provides a different dimension.
Franco-Malian in background, he represents the blend of African sensibility and European structure that increasingly defines modern coaching on the continent.
By prioritising discipline and cohesion, he has restored stability to a side often criticised for inconsistency.
Beyond the personalities, the numbers illustrate the scale of this transformation. Of the 24 teams that entered AFCON 2025, 15 were managed by African coaches.
Eleven of those progressed beyond the group stage, a striking endorsement of their collective impact and organisational strength.
Among the semi-final quartet, Hossam Hassan has the chance to join a rare circle if Egypt lift the trophy, becoming one of the few to win the Africa Cup of Nations both as a player and as a coach.
But regardless of who ultimately prevails, the wider narrative is already written.
As the tournament reaches its climax, African coaches are no longer challengers seeking validation.
They are the standard-bearers, redefining authority on the touchline and reshaping perceptions of where tactical excellence on the continent truly resides.
