The AFCON 2025-26 is loaded with some exciting games, which adds to the time of festivity it is being held in. The group stages of the tournament will be played from 21st December 2025 to New Year’s Day, the final on 19 January 2026, with football fever gripping the continent of Africa, taking centre stage in Morocco. Some stunning clashes are there to look forward to that will not only put everyone on the edge of their seats, be decisive for the competition, but also set the mood of the teams representing Africa at the world stage in 2026 in the USA, Mexico and Canada. A ton of heavyweight clashes is on the menu, especially those in Group D, which has been dubbed the ‘group of death’ containing holders Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique. As usual, the Africa Cup of Nations will be unpredictable, creating some shocking upsets with all the drama starting from the group stages themselves.
Here are the group stage games you cannot miss in the AFCON 2025:
Cameroon vs Gabon - Adrar Stadium, Agadir (25 December 2025)
The first heavyweight clash in the AFCON 2025 comes in the ‘group of death’ or Group F itself, with two sides, Cameroon and Gabon, entering the clash carrying the heartbreak of missing out on the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The Indomitable Lions are the second most successful team in the competition, with five titles and will be desperate to add another one after a horror World Cup qualifying campaign where they lost the automatic spot to Cape Verde and then suffered defeat at the hands of DR Congo in the playoffs. They have at least had a satisfying AFCON qualifying campaign where they remained unbeaten, conceding just two goals and collecting 14 points from six games. That will give them some confidence, although they won’t have star striker Vincent Aboubakar for the tournament, which means big responsibility lies with Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo to deliver the goods.
Cameroon’s opposition for their tournament opener, Gabon, also came close to making their first World Cup appearance but missed out on the automatic spot by a point to the Ivory Coast, whom they faced again in this competition and lost to Nigeria in the playoffs. Their star striker, Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, still banging goals at 36 years of age, will now hope that his scoring feat helps his team go beyond the quarterfinal stage in the AFCON this time. The Panthers are drawn into a difficult group, but with the four best third-place teams advancing, they will be confident of advancing to the knockouts. However, their recent poor record against better-ranked teams on the continent will be a concern for them. Both teams would be looking for the win to gain early supremacy in the group, making this an unmissable clash.
Egypt vs South Africa - Adrar Stadium, Agadir (26 December 2025)
The top draw clash of Group B will certainly be between Egypt and South Africa when they face each other in their second group game, with the outcome likely deciding the group winners. Both teams will have success in mind for an ideal preparation for the World Cup, as well as setting their own respective narratives in the competition. The Pharaohs are the record winners of the competition with seven honours to their name, but haven’t won the thing since 2010. The nearest they came to achieving it was in 2021, when they lost to Senegal on penalties. That means this is potentially the last big opportunity for their icon, Mohamed Salah, to win a trophy for the nation now that he is 33 years old. That may be the motivation Egypt requires to get over the line after having a brilliant qualifying campaign where they did not lose a game, similar to the World Cup qualifiers.
However, their incredible record of not losing a single competitive game since June 2022 could be at risk facing a side that is creating their wondertale. South Africa is looking to get their prominence back after qualifying for their first World Cup since hosting in 2010 and third overall in extraordinary fashion in a three-horse race despite facing a point deduction due to fielding an ineligible player. Their AFCON qualification campaign has also been sensational, dominating the group undefeated. The mesmeric football by the Bafana Bafanas has not only caught attention in the African continent, but also worldwide, as they look to make it the best AFCON campaign in their history, jointly with their 1996 success. South Africa has also not lost against Egypt since 2006 and carries a six-game unbeaten run in this fixture, including a 1-0 victory in the 2019 AFCON, so they will be fairly confident.
Senegal vs DR Congo - Tangier Grand Stadium, Tangier (27 December 2025)
Just like their World Cup qualifying group, Senegal and DR Congo will face off against each other in the same group in the AFCON, with another thrilling spectacle expected. While the first encounter ended in a 1-1 draw, the reverse clash ended in a six-goal thriller where DR Congo went 2-0 up inside 33 minutes, but Senegal unleashed a remarkable comeback to win the tie 3-2 and eventually book their place in the World Cup. Despite the disappointment, DR Congo showed brilliance in the playoffs, overcoming two African giants, Cameroon and Nigeria, to grab the intercontinental playoffs with a win away from reaching the showpiece.
So a lot will be riding on both in this fixture, with Senegal striving for only their second AFCON title, while DR Congo is looking for the revenge that might make them a dark horse in the competition. The result is expected to decide who’s topping Group D, barring any surprises, with both having memorable qualifying campaigns for the tournament and coming with great form. Senegal did not lose a single game on their road to AFCON 2025 or in any competitive fixtures since their Round of 16 elimination from the previous World Cup. Meanwhile, DR Congo topped their qualifying chart despite losing two games, but their four-game unbeaten run and solidity are enough to cause trouble even for the best sides in the competition.
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon - Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh (29 December 2025)
Defending champions Ivory Coast and Cameroon will lock horns for another spicy fixture in Group D, with the result might have major implications for each one’s standings in the group. Ivory Coast won their third AFCON title in the last edition hosted in their home, despite coming third in their group, but have a far more talented squad to take a less chaotic route, even with more challenges this time. The Elephants did not have a great qualifying campaign though finishing behind Zambia, but their World Cup qualifying form makes them a force to reckon with, other than the holders tag.
Managed by former player Emerse Faé, who also led them to the title last time, they became the only team other than England to qualify for the World Cup 2026 without losing a match or even conceding a goal. They haven’t lost a single competitive game in a year, winning all but one of them and that momentum will allow them to make a winning start to the tournament against minnows Mozambique. The same could be said about Cameroon, who might be slight favourites against Gabon in the opener, but anything can happen in this fixture, especially when the Ivory Coast lead the Indomitable Lions only slightly in head-to-head. The Elephants, managed by Hervé Renard, also won the last AFCON encounter 1-0, coincidentally drawn in Group D.
Gabon vs Ivory Coast - Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh (1 January 2026)
The final group game of Group D will also be a repeat of the recent World Cup qualifiers meetup between Gabon and the Ivory Coast, with both fighting for the top spot in the group. The holders pipped the Panthers to the automatic spot for the World Cup with an away draw, having won the reverse clash at home and have only lost once in this fixture in the 21st century, clearly showing their dominance. Not good news for Gabon, knowing that Cameroon will be playing Mozambique in the other game, even though the Indomitable Lions might be without a win heading into the final fixture. The Panthers also failed to breach the tight defence of the Ivory Coast in those World Cup qualifiers and haven’t done so in four of the previous five meetings. The last time they did so was in 2017 securing a win, showing the magnitude of the task here. Regardless of the outcome and the team progressing at the cost of others in the dramatic final group games, this fixture, falling on New Year’s Eve, will add to the celebrations.
