AFCON
AFCON 2025 Final Match Has Amazing Connection With CHAN
When Morocco and Senegal step onto the pitch to contest the final of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, more than a continental title will be at stake. Beyond the prestige of the fixture and the magnitude of the occasion, another, subtler yet equally significant story will unfold — that of the African Nations Championship (CHAN).
Long regarded as a developmental competition, the CHAN has gradually evolved into a true breeding ground for elite African football. The Morocco–Senegal final, scheduled for Sunday 18 January, bears the deep imprint of that journey. Several of the key figures in this decisive encounter first shaped their character, built their reputations, and launched their rise to the summit of African football through the CHAN.
Ayoub El Kaabi, the ultimate symbol
It is impossible to tell this story without starting with Ayoub El Kaabi. The Moroccan striker is, in many ways, a living legend of the CHAN. A two-time winner of the competition in 2018 and 2020, he is also its all-time leading scorer with nine goals.
Revealed to a wider audience during the 2018 edition, where he dominated the tournament, El Kaabi embodied the ideal pathway from domestic football to the highest international level. His presence in the AFCON 2025 final is a powerful reminder that the CHAN is not an end in itself, but a launching pad. Now Morocco’s leading attacking figure, he remains the clearest testament to the quality and potential of African domestic football.
Soufiane Rahimi, excellence rewarded
Alongside him, Soufiane Rahimi represents another Moroccan success story forged at the CHAN. During the 2020 edition, he excelled across the tournament, claiming both the Best Player award and the Golden Boot with five goals.
His ability to shine in decisive moments, his football intelligence, and his strong sense of collective play left a lasting impression. In the AFCON 2025 final, Rahimi returns to a stage he knows well — one where talent alone is not enough, and where the capacity to deliver when history is being written truly matters.
A Moroccan core shaped by the CHAN
The depth of this Moroccan lineage is also evident in defence. Nayef Aguerd, who featured at the 2018 CHAN, learned the demands of top-level continental football there before establishing himself as one of Africa’s most reliable central defenders.
Alongside him, Jawad El Yamiq, another CHAN product, embodies the continuity of a Moroccan model built on development, internal progression, and the promotion of local talent.
More recently, El Mehdi Al Harrar, a winner of the CHAN 2025, continues this tradition. His inclusion in the AFCON finalist squad underlines Morocco’s view of the CHAN not as a secondary competition, but as a strategic pillar of its football project.
Lamine Camara, Senegal’s rising gem
On the Senegalese side, the CHAN has also played a key role in the emergence of talents destined for the long term. Lamine Camara, winner of the CHAN 2022, was named Man of the Match in the final after impressing with his maturity, technical precision, and early leadership.
Seeing him contest an AFCON final today is a natural progression. Like Morocco, Senegal has successfully used the CHAN as a platform to identify, refine, and prepare players capable of stepping up to the continental elite.
Pape Thiaw, a coach bridging two worlds
The CHAN’s influence on this final is not limited to the players. It is also evident on the touchline. Pape Thiaw makes history as the first coach to reach a CHAN final and an AFCON final.
This unique journey perfectly illustrates the complementarity between the two competitions. The Senegalese coach has successfully transferred the discipline, collective spirit, and high standards of the CHAN to Africa’s highest level. His path highlights a reality often overlooked: the CHAN is also a vital development platform for coaches — a space for tactical, managerial, and human growth.
-Cafonline
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Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has praised Morocco’s King Mohammed VI for what he described as a powerful gesture of unity and reconciliation following the royal pardon granted to Senegalese supporters convicted over offences linked to the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement released on Saturday, Motsepe expressed deep appreciation on behalf of CAF’s 54 member associations, hailing the Moroccan monarch’s decision as a demonstration of football’s ability to foster peace and solidarity across the continent.
“I would like to express our deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, for granting His Royal Pardon to the Senegalese supporters convicted of offences relating to the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025,” Motsepe stated.
The CAF president said the pardon reflected Morocco’s enduring commitment to African unity and highlighted football’s growing role as a bridge between nations and cultures.
“CAF has consistently emphasised its commitment to utilise football to contribute to uniting our people from different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds,” he said.
“The pardon by His Majesty King Mohammed VI is an uplifting and motivating illustration of the power of football to unite and bring our people together in Africa and worldwide.”
Motsepe also revealed that during recent visits to both Morocco and Senegal, he had been struck by the deep historical and cultural bonds shared by the two countries.
“I was amazed and impressed when I was briefed about the historic and extensive ties between the people of Senegal and Morocco,” he added.
The statement further reinforced Morocco’s rising influence within African football, especially after successfully hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading football destinations ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Motsepe also extended CAF’s best wishes to Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence that the continent’s teams would perform strongly on the global stage.
Among the African nations mentioned were Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Former African champions Algeria and Zambia are set for an early showdown after the release of the Group I fixtures for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Algeria host Zambia on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, in what is expected to be one of the headline fixtures of the qualifying campaign, while Togo entertain Burundi in the group’s other opening tie.
The Desert Foxes are favourites to qualify, but Zambia’s growing consistency and Togo’s unpredictability could make the race highly competitive.
Algeria travel to Burundi on Matchday Two before facing Togo in back-to-back encounters across Matchdays Three and Four. Zambia also meet Burundi home and away during the same period.
The potentially decisive fixture comes on March 22, 2027, when Zambia host Algeria in a clash that could determine the final standings.
Group I Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Algeria vs Zambia
- Togo vs Burundi
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Zambia vs Togo
- Burundi vs Algeria
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Algeria vs Togo
- Zambia vs Burundi
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Togo vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Zambia
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Zambia vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Togo
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Togo vs Zambia
- Algeria vs Burundi
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By Kunle Solaja.
African heavyweights Senegal will launch their quest for another Africa Cup of Nations appearance with a home clash against Mozambique in Group J of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Lions of Teranga, among the continent’s strongest teams in recent years, headline a group that also includes Sudan and Ethiopia.
Senegal host Mozambique on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, while Sudan tackle Ethiopia in the other opening encounter.
Senegal are strong favourites to dominate the group, but Sudan and Mozambique are expected to battle fiercely for qualification points.
The key fixtures may emerge in the double-header between Senegal and Sudan across Matchdays Three and Four, while Mozambique and Ethiopia also face each other home and away.
Senegal travel to Mozambique on Matchday Five before ending their campaign at home against Ethiopia on March 30, 2027.
Group J Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Senegal vs Mozambique
- Sudan vs Ethiopia
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Mozambique vs Sudan
- Ethiopia vs Senegal
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Senegal vs Sudan
- Mozambique vs Ethiopia
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Sudan vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Mozambique
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Mozambique vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Sudan
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Sudan vs Mozambique
- Senegal vs Ethiopia
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