Africa’s biggest football tournament has reached its decisive phase, with the Confederation of African Football confirming the full schedule for the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations to be staged across four cities in Morocco.
The last eight will be spread over two days, Friday 9 January and Saturday 10 January, with Tangier, Rabat, Marrakech and Agadir hosting matches that bring together some of the continent’s most decorated and in-form nations.
The opening quarter-final on Friday will take place at the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier, where Mali face Senegal at 5:00 pm local time.
The fixture pits two West African sides with contrasting journeys to this stage.
Mali have quietly negotiated the knockout rounds with disciplined performances, while Senegal arrive with the weight of expectation that comes with being perennial contenders and recent champions.
The setting in Tangier, close to the Strait of Gibraltar, is expected to provide a vibrant atmosphere for what could be one of the tightest contests of the round.
Later that evening, attention switches to the capital as Morocco meet Cameroon at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Stadium in Rabat, with kick-off scheduled for 8:00 pm.
As hosts, Morocco have carried the pressure of a nation throughout the competition and now face one of Africa’s most storied teams.
Cameroon’s pedigree in knockout football is well established, while the Atlas Lions will draw confidence from home support and a strong showing in the earlier rounds.
Saturday’s programme begins in Marrakech at 5:00 pm, when Algeria take on Nigeria at the city’s main stadium.
This is a meeting that would not look out of place in a final.
Algeria have progressed with a blend of attacking flair and defensive resilience, while Nigeria’s firepower has been evident throughout the tournament.
With both sides boasting experienced squads, this fixture is widely seen as one of the standout ties of the quarter-final stage.
The last of the four matches will be played in Agadir at 8:00 pm, where Egypt face Ivory Coast.
It is a repeat of several classic encounters from previous editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, and once again the meeting brings together two nations steeped in continental history.
Egypt’s record as the most successful team in AFCON history adds weight to the occasion, while Ivory Coast arrive eager to underline their credentials after a turbulent build-up to the tournament.
CAF has confirmed that all four venues have completed final preparations, with security, transport and broadcast operations in place to accommodate the surge in supporters expected for the knockout weekend.
The staggered kick-off times are designed to allow fans to follow each match without overlap, while also maximising global television audiences.
With only eight teams remaining and a place in the semi-finals at stake, the margin for error has all but disappeared.
Every fixture on the quarter-final schedule carries its own storyline, rivalries and history, ensuring that Morocco will be the centre of African football attention as the race for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations crown intensifies.
