Host nation Morocco take on continental heavyweights Cameroon in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations on Friday (9 January), with an eye on a first AFCON semi-final berth in 22 years.
The match will take place at the 68,000-capacity Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, with kick off scheduled for 20:00 local time, which is the same as Central European Time (CET), and 14:00 Eastern Standard Time (EST).
- AFCON 2025: Full schedule, results, scores, and standings
- AFCON 2025: These teams have qualified for the quarter-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations – Full list
Morocco still finding their feet
Morocco’s progress to this stage has been efficient rather than eye-catching, expected if not especially exhilarating.
They began the tournament with a narrow 2–0 win over Comoros, before being held to a 1–1 draw by Mali in a performance that did little to stir the home crowd. A more convincing 3–0 victory over Zambia in their final group match ultimately secured qualification and restored a measure of belief, after two outings that had left supporters distinctly underwhelmed.
The Round of 16 against Tanzania followed a similar pattern. It was hardly a classic, but Morocco did what was required, with Brahim Díaz once again providing the decisive moment. His fourth goal of the tournament was enough to settle a cautious contest.
Strip away Díaz’s individual brilliance, however, and the defining feature of Morocco’s campaign has been their defensive control. They have conceded just once in four matches, the best record among the teams left in the competition, and it is that solidity, more than flair, that has carried them into the quarter-finals.
And with captain Achraf Hakimi returning from injury and beginning to rediscover his rhythm, Walid Regragui’s side have reason to believe there may yet be another gear to find, one that could prove decisive against Cameroon.
Cameroon’s consistent joy against host nations
Against Cameroon however, the Atlas Lions face a much stiffer test than anything they have come up against so far in this competition.
That’s because no country has enjoyed playing AFCON host nations more than the Indomitable Lions.
In 13 previous meetings with AFCON hosts, Cameroon have lost only twice and are unbeaten in their last six such encounters.
In knockout matches, they have eliminated the hosts on five occasions. In fact, when Morocco last hosted the tournament in 1988, it was Cameroon that defeated them in the semi-finals.
Much like Morocco, Cameroon have been efficient, rather than spectacular in this tournament.
They battled through the group stages with two wins against Gabon and Mozambique, sandwiched by a hard-fought 1-1 draw with defending champions Cote D’Ivoire.
Cameroon’s six goals leave them the second-lowest scorers among the quarter-finalists, ahead only of Mali’s three. Yet those goals have been spread across five different players, a diffusion that has made them difficult to pin down. The most telling contribution has come from 19-year-old Christian Kofane, whose two goals have marked him out as their most immediate threat.
Bryan Mbeumo, widely tipped to be Cameroon’s principal attacking weapon, is still searching for his first goal of the tournament. His influence, however, has been felt elsewhere. The Manchester United forward’s work-rate and willingness to run channels have repeatedly provided an outlet for transition, often serving as the launch point for Cameroon’s counter-attacks.
That approach reflects the wider shape of David Pagou’s side. Cameroon have been content to sit deep, conceding territory and possession in favour of compactness , a formula that has carried them efficiently, if unspectacularly, into the last eight.
And against the team with the highest average possession in the tournament, this promises to be an interesting chess game.
Morocco vs Cameroon head to head
Overall Record
- Total meetings: 13
- Cameroon wins: 6
- Morocco wins: 2
- Draws: 5
Where and how to watch AFCON 2025 matches live
The Africa Cup of Nations 2025 tournament will be broadcast across the globe in over 30 countries and regions. Below is the broadcast list in each country/region.
Country – Broadcaster
- Algeria – EPTV
- Angola – Televisão Pública de Angola
- Belgium – Tipik, La Une
- Benin – Bénin TV
- Bulgaria – Max Sport
- Burkina Faso – RTB TV
- Cameroon – CRTV Sports
- Canada – beIN Sports
- Colombia – Win Sports
- Croatia – SportKlub
- Equatorial Guinea – TVGE
- France – beIN Sports France
- Germany – Sportdigital
- Greece – Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation
- Iran – Persiana Sports
- Ireland (Republic of Ireland) – Channel 4
- Italy – Sportitalia, Solo Calcio
- Ivory Coast – RTI, Canal+ Afrique
- Mali – ORTM
- Morocco – SNRT
- Netherlands – Ziggo Sport
- Niger – Télé Sahel
- Nigeria – BON, NTA
- Portugal – Sport TV
- South Africa – SABC Sport
- Spain – Movistar
- Tanzania – Azam Sports
- Turkey – Exxen
- Uganda – NBC Sport
- United Kingdom – Channel 4
- United States – beIN Sports
- Zambia – ZNBC
- Middle East & North Africa (MENA) – beIN Sports
- Sub-Saharan Africa – SuperSport
