Nigeria will look to overcome Morocco for a place in the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) when the Super Eagles lock horns with the Atlas Lions in the semi-finals of the tournament on Wednesday, January 14.
The two of Africa’s most respected football nations will face off in a contest that blends history, ambition and continental pride, promising an evening of high drama and intense competition.
This blockbuster fixture forms part of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025, the continent’s premier international football tournament. Having navigated their way through a demanding group phase through to the Round of 16 and the quarter-finals, Nigeria and Morocco now find themselves in the semi-final stage.
Semi-final day in Rabat! 🇳🇬🇲🇦
Nigeria take on Morocco.One moves on to the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 final. Who will it be? pic.twitter.com/OpMzpGqRZy
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) January 14, 2026
Date, Venue & Kick-off time
The match will be played on Wednesday, with kick-off scheduled for 20:00GMT. The venue for the high-stakes contest is the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, a familiar ground for the Moroccan national team and one expected to be packed with passionate supporters backing the host nation.
Road to the semi-finals
Morocco’s journey to the semi-finals has been marked by confidence and consistency. The Atlas Lions have enjoyed a strong run throughout the tournament and secured their place in the last four with an impressive 2-0 victory over Cameroon in the quarter-finals. Before that, the Atlas Lions topped Group A before dispatching Tanzania by a goal to nil in the Round of 16.
Nigeria, meanwhile, have taken a steady and assured path to this stage. The Super Eagles underlined their intent with a convincing 2-0 win over Algeria in the quarter-finals to book their place in the semis. Before that, the West African giants won all three of their group matches (vs Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda). Then in the Round of 16, they made light work of Mozambique, thrashing them 4-0 in a one-sided affair. So far, the Super Eagles are the only side with five wins in five matches at the tournament.
Coaches
On the sidelines, the tactical battle will be one to watch. Morocco are led by Walid Regragui, whose pragmatic approach and strong connection with his players have turned the Atlas Lions into a formidable unit, especially on home soil. Nigeria’s technical bench, led by the calm but tactically brilliant Eric Chelle will be counting on discipline, balance and game management to navigate the challenge posed by the hosts.
Key players for each side
Several key players are expected to shape the outcome of the semi-final. Morocco will look to their influential core, combining defensive solidity with creativity in attack, while drawing energy from the home crowd. The likes of Brahim Diaz, Ayoub El Kaabi, and Achraf Hakimi will have a lot to do to give Morocco a win.
Nigeria, on the other hand, will rely on their blend of physical presence, pace and individual quality, qualities that have defined their performances so far in the competition. Stars Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman will have to bring their A game to give the Super Eagles any chance of progressing to the final.
Super Eagles. Atlas Lions. 🇳🇬🇲🇦
One step from the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 final. Who makes it? pic.twitter.com/ya9DZ1UZD6
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) January 14, 2026
Head-to-Head
Meetings between Nigeria and Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations have produced memorable moments over the years. Their most notable encounter came in the 2004 final in Tunisia, where Morocco emerged victorious thanks to a solitary goal, a result that still resonates whenever the two sides meet on the continental stage. However, Morocco boasts of a superior head-to-head, having won three out of their last five meetings.
From a statistical perspective, both teams arrive in the semi-finals with strong defensive records and growing confidence. Morocco have benefited from home support and tactical discipline, while Nigeria have combined resilience with efficiency in front of goal, setting up a finely balanced contest.
Prediction
Predicting the outcome is a difficult task. Morocco’s home advantage and momentum give them belief in achieving a historic triumph, but Nigeria’s pedigree and experience in high-pressure matches make them dangerous opponents. The match could be decided by a single moment of brilliance or extend beyond regulation time.
Nigeria 2-1 Morocco.
🇳🇬 Nigeria 🆚 Morocco 🇲🇦
Who moves on to the #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 final? @1xBet_Eng pic.twitter.com/AkRtVTsWGc
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) January 14, 2026
Where to Watch
Fans across Africa will be able to follow the semi-final live on several free-to-air channels. The game will be shown on Arryadia HD in Morocco via the Badr 26 East satellite, the Algerian terrestrial channel on Nilesat, RTS1 Sénégal on Eutelsat 9B, TVGE in Equatorial Guinea on Astra 23 East, and Canal 2 International in Cameroon on Eutelsat 9 East.
You can follow the match live on Africasoccer.
