AFCON 2025 QUARTER-FINALS: FOUR BLOCKBUSTER GAMES THAT WILL SHAKE AFRICAN FOOTBALL THIS WEEKEND
Get the ultimate AFCON quarter-final guide. We analyse Nigeria’s attack, Morocco’s home pressure, and Senegal’s historic streak.
The Africa Cup of Nations quarter-finals start on Friday with four big games that could go either way, making for some interesting contests.
Some teams got here easily, while others struggled, but in the knockout stage, it's all about how you play on the day.
Mali vs. Senegal
Friday, 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT) – Tangier
This West African match is between two familiar teams. Senegal has the bigger stars, but Mali has shown they're fighters who can beat the odds. Mali's coach, Tom Saintfiet, knows how to get the most out of underdog teams and will have his team ready with a smart plan. Then, it's just a matter of doing it right.
Senegal has talent all over the field and has gotten better as the tournament has gone on. They've played Guinea more (53 times) than Mali (40) in international games, and they're ahead in wins 19–8 with 13 draws. They haven't lost to Mali since 1997, a streak of 13 games where they've won four and drawn nine. They only played each other once before in the Cup of Nations, a 1–1 draw in the group stage in 2004.
Mali has drawn four times to get to this point but has a good record in the quarter-finals, winning six of their previous seven games at this stage. Their only loss was to Ivory Coast in extra time two years ago. Senegal is unbeaten in 15 Cup of Nations games, not counting penalty shoot-outs, which is their longest run ever. They last lost to Algeria in the 2019 final.
Cameroon vs. Morocco
Friday, 20h00 local time (19h00 GMT) – Rabat
There will be a lot of pressure on Morocco, the host team, as the tournament gets to the important part. They haven't played their best yet, relying on Brahim Díaz and Ayoub El Kaabi for goals, who are the only two who have scored for them in the first four games.
Cameroon has been quietly good and has some great young players who have gotten them this far. Morocco often disappoints at the Cup of Nations, last winning 50 years ago, even though they've had some great teams since then. But, they've been hard to beat at home in recent years and have a lot of players with experience in Europe.
These teams haven't played each other much, with only 13 games before. Cameroon has won more, 6–2, with five draws. They've played three times in the Cup of Nations, most recently in 1992, with Cameroon winning two of those games and drawing the other. Cameroon's average ball possession in this tournament (43.2%) is the lowest of all eight teams in the quarter-finals.
Surprisingly, this is only Morocco's fifth time in the continental quarter-finals. They've only moved on once in the previous four, in 2004, when they lost in the final.
Algeria vs. Nigeria
Saturday, 17h00 local time (16h00 GMT)—Marrakech
Nigeria has probably been the best team in the tournament so far, despite a few issues off the field. They've cruised into the quarter-finals, scoring 12 goals, and look a lot better than the team that didn't even qualify for the 2026 World Cup.
Algeria hasn't been as flashy, but they've also won all four games, only letting in one goal, so this will be an interesting clash of styles. The teams have played 23 times before, with Algeria winning more, 10–8, with five draws. Nigeria's last win was in a World Cup qualifier in 2016.
This is a repeat of the 2019 Cup of Nations semi-final, which Algeria won 2–1 thanks to a William Troost-Ekong own goal and a late goal from Riyad Mahrez. Since winning in 1990, Algeria has reached six quarter-finals but only moved on twice, finishing fourth in 2010 and winning again in 2019. They were knocked out in the group stage in the last two tournaments without winning a game.
Nigeria is great at this stage of the tournament. Since the quarter-finals started in 1992, they've played 11 games and won 10 of them. Their only loss was to Ghana in 2008. Ademola Lookman is their key player, with seven goals involved (three goals, four assists) in four games in this tournament.
Egypt vs. Ivory Coast
Saturday, 20h00 local time (19h00 GMT)—Agadir
Egypt, which has won the most times (seven), plays against an impressive Ivory Coast team that is fast and talented. Egypt has been steady so far, but feels like they can play even better. Ivory Coast is the defending champion and played great in their last game against Burkina Faso.
Egypt has won more over the years, with 10 wins to Ivory Coast's five, with six draws, but the teams have only played once since 2013. That was in 2021, when Egypt won on penalties after a 0–0 draw.
Egypt has won their last five quarter-final games and six of its 10 overall at this stage. They've let in 99 goals in Cup of Nations history and could reach 100 in this game. Ivory Coast has had mixed results in the quarter-finals, playing 11 and winning seven.
This is a repeat of the 2006 Cup of Nations final, where Egypt won on penalties after a 0–0 draw. Egypt is trying to win their eighth title, having not won since 2010. They then didn't qualify for three tournaments in a row and have since lost finals in 2017 and 2021.
THE HIDDEN MATH BEHIND FIFA’S $33,000 WORLD CUP FINAL TICKET PRICE SURGE
Gianni Infantino defends $32,970 ticket prices at the Milken Institute, citing the US market as the world's most developed.
FIFA just tripled the price of its top tickets for the World Cup final, now charging $32,970 for the best seats at the July 19 match at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. On Thursday, those front-row “category 1” seats popped up for sale, right as members of Congress started pushing FIFA for answers about high prices and demanding more transparency on how tickets are being priced.
Before, the highest category 1 ticket for the final topped out at $10,990. Now, the only way to snag that price is if you need a wheelchair or special-access seat; otherwise, you’re looking at the new, much steeper cost.
Prices don’t stop there. For the July 14 semifinal at AT&T Stadium in Texas, seats are $11,130, $4,330, $3,710, and $2,705. The next day’s semifinal in Atlanta? $10,635, $3,545, and $2,725. U.S. group stage matches aren’t cheap either; opening night in California runs $2,735, $1,940, or $1,120 a seat. The June 19 clash against Australia in Seattle sits at $2,715. And for the finale against Türkiye back in LA, tickets range from $2,970 down to $840.
Representatives Nellie Pou and Frank Pallone Jr, both Democrats from New Jersey, fired off a letter to FIFA’s president Gianni Infantino, calling FIFA’s use of “dynamic pricing” too secretive and criticising practices that make it tough for regular fans to get seats. Their letter didn’t mince words: “We’re deeply concerned about FIFA’s opaque pricing and shifting rules. Fans are getting frustrated and feel misled. We want to know how FIFA ensures everyone can actually afford to attend and what’s being done to address these concerns.”
Gianni Infantino hasn’t backed down. On Tuesday at the Milken Institute Global Conference in Beverly Hills, he defended his price tags. “We have to look at the market,” Infantino said. “This is the most developed entertainment market anywhere, so we charge market rates. Tickets here can legally be resold, so if you price them low, people just flip them for more. In fact, even with what some call high prices, tickets end up reselling for twice as much or more.”
He also pointed out, “You can’t go to a college game in the U.S., never mind a pro one, without spending at least $300 for a decent ticket.”
Sure, tickets for huge events like the Super Bowl or the College Football Championship can hit these levels, but scores of seats at U.S. college and pro sporting events, even the NBA playoffs, still go for under $300.
When it comes to resale, FIFA doesn’t set those prices. On its official ticket exchange, final match seats were listed Thursday from $8,970 all the way up to a wild $11,499,998.85, the latter for a spot four rows from the top in the upper deck. FIFA takes 15% of each sale from both buyer and seller. Last month, somebody listed a final ticket for $2,299,998.85.
Infantino joked about those prices: “If people list final tickets for $2 million, number one, that’s not the actual price. Number two, who’s paying that? If someone does, I’ll personally deliver them a hot dog and a Coke.”
Ticket prices aren’t the only pain point for fans. Getting to the game, especially at MetLife Stadium, has its own sticker shock. NJ Transit originally set a $150 round-trip fare from anywhere to the stadium, way up from the normal $13-ish round trip from Manhattan’s Penn Station. After plenty of backlash, they cut it down to $105, but that’s still steep.
Governor Mikie Sherrill, via her spokesperson Steve Sigmund, said she’s pushing for more corporate contributions to lower fares for fans. “The governor is grateful for the companies helping reduce costs and will keep working to make the World Cup a win for both fans and New Jersey.”
FIFA, for its part, warned that these high transit prices could dampen turnout in New Jersey, while other host cities, LA, Dallas, and Houston, aren’t hiking fares for the games.
MetLife Stadium, usually home to the Giants and Jets, will host eight World Cup matches, including the final. Group stage games for powerhouse teams like Brazil, France, Germany, and England all kick off starting June 13.
FIFA EXTENDS PRESTIANNI BAN WORLDWIDE; WINGER SET TO MISS WORLD CUP OPENERS
Gianluca Prestianni will miss games against Algeria and Austria if selected by Scaloni. Get the full disciplinary breakdown.
FIFA has extended Gianluca Prestianni’s suspension for homophobic conduct to apply globally, which could sideline him for Argentina’s first two matches at the 2026 World Cup. The winger from Benfica, initially punished after a well-publicised incident with Real Madrid’s Vinícius Júnior, will now have his ban affect not just club matches but international competitive games as well.
The disciplinary move by FIFA follows a request from UEFA, and the FIFA Disciplinary Committee has confirmed the six-match ban will take effect worldwide. According to a FIFA spokesperson, the committee agreed to broaden the suspension’s scope, impacting all levels of competitive play.
This decision carries serious implications for both Benfica and Argentina. What was once a suspension limited to UEFA competitions now bars the 20-year-old from participating in any FIFA competitive events, including the upcoming World Cup in North America.
If Prestianni makes Lionel Scaloni’s final Argentina roster for 2026, he will be forced to sit out the opening group stage games against Algeria and Austria. Despite this setback, he remains eligible for friendlies; he was actually called up earlier this year for matches against Mauritania and Zambia following his November 2025 senior debut.
While the ban totals six matches, half of those come with a two-year probationary clause. After missing a Champions League match against Real Madrid under a provisional suspension, Prestianni still has two active games left to serve. Notably, domestic games with Benfica this season are unaffected, since the worldwide ban targets only competitive international fixtures.
The incident that triggered this whole saga happened on February 17 during a Champions League knockout match at Estadio da Luz. Vinicius Junior accused Prestianni of racial abuse, prompting referee Francois Letexier to pause the game for eight minutes and activate FIFA’s anti-discrimination protocol.
Prestianni has denied these accusations and issued a statement saying he never directed racist insults at Vinicius Junior, suggesting the player misunderstood what was said. He also condemned the threats he received from Real Madrid players in the aftermath.
Despite his denials, UEFA’s investigation concluded that Prestianni engaged in discriminatory, specifically homophobic, conduct, leading to his suspension.
Questions remain about the length of the ban, as UEFA’s rules generally mandate a minimum 10-match suspension for offences against human dignity based on factors like race or sexual orientation. UEFA has not explained why the disciplinary body settled on a shorter six-match penalty.
Looking ahead, Prestianni faces a challenging path to regain standing under scrutiny. Should he violate conduct rules again within the probationary period, the remaining three matches of his ban could be enforced immediately, potentially harming his prospects with both Benfica and the Argentina national team.
