The AFCON 2025 champions are set to be crowned on Sunday, and such has been the quality of the tournament that the new kings of African football will be reclaiming the crown for yet another term.
The four semi-finalists — Senegal, Egypt, Morocco and Nigeria — have all won AFCON before, albeit on different occasions.
Senegal claimed their maiden title in 2021, while Egypt, who will face them in the first semi-final on Wednesday night (6pm kick-off) at the Tangier Grand Stadium, are chasing a record-extending eighth crown.
Interestingly, this will also be a repeat of the 2021 final, where the Teranga Lions edged the Pharaohs on penalties to win their maiden continental crown under son of the soil Aliou Cissé.
In addition, the clash between the Teranga Lions and the Pharaohs will not only see two sides with great squad depth go head-to-head, but will also reunite former teammates.
Sadio Mané of Senegal and Mohamed Salah of Egypt were teammates for many years at Liverpool, forming a formidable partnership that helped the club win the English Premier League and the UEFA Champions League, among other trophies.
While Mané has since moved to Saudi Arabia, where he joined Al Nassr, Salah has remained at Anfield. He recently became Liverpool’s highest contributor for the club in a single spell after his goal contribution reached 277 just before AFCON.
Salah joined Egypt for the tournament following a controversial few weeks at Liverpool, after reports emerged that his relationship with head coach Arne Slot had deteriorated, with the club also accused of failing to honour promises made to him after signing a new contract in June.
However, Salah appears to have put his club issues behind him. He has been one of the standout performers at the tournament, scoring four goals and providing one assist in four matches so far. With Wednesday’s clash set to pit him against his former teammate Mané, he would relish the opportunity to add to his tally with a goal or an assist.
@the.clutch_za Bafana Bafana Coach Hugo Broos was having none of it at the team’s arrival back in South Africa. Broos said he didn’t care about the negative comments made about his tactics at AFCON and needed a week to let things calm down before assessing their exit. Video by Mihlali Baleka.
♬ original sound – The Clutch_ZA
Three-time AFCON champions Nigeria also have a tough task ahead as they face hosts Morocco, who lifted their maiden — and only — title in 1976.
Although their coronation dates back more than four decades, Morocco have been on an upward trajectory in recent years. They remain the only CAF nation to have reached the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup, a feat they achieved at the last edition in Qatar.
The Atlas Lions will enjoy home advantage and the backing of their supporters on Wednesday night (9pm kick-off) at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, but they will still need to respect the Super Eagles and perform at their best.
Despite Nigeria’s well-documented issues — including bonus disputes with the NFF and occasional on-field disagreements — the team have shown resilience and fighting spirit. As a result, many are beginning to back them as genuine contenders capable of going all the way and lifting the title.
The Super Eagles are also aiming to redeem themselves in Morocco after missing out on the upcoming World Cup finals in June, having failed to top their group and win the continental play-offs during the qualifiers.
@the.clutch_za Bafana Bafana returned home from Morocco after their departure from AFCON 2025. It was a bit gloomy given their 2-1 defeat at the hands of Cameroon, according to Mihlali Baleka. Nevertheless, the boys are back in town.
♬ original sound – The Clutch_ZA
Ultimately, all four teams have a strong chance of going all the way and being crowned kings of the continent once again, but each knows they must deliver at their very best to achieve that feat.
Neutral observers and followers of African football will also be encouraged by the fact that all four teams are coached by tacticians born on the continent. Nigeria’s Eric Chelle was born in Ivory Coast, while Walid Regragui of Morocco, Hossam Hassan of Egypt, and Pape Thiaw of Senegal are all coaching their respective native national sides.
