… As host Morocco battle Senegal
As the curtain fails on the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025, the question on the minds of many fans is – who will be crown the next champion of African football.
Fans will also want to know if the 2025 edition will be a repeat of the 2023 edition won by the host nation.
Also, will the trophy remain in West Africa or the North Africans will stage a fight against Senegal to unseat the West Africans?
Morocco is the 15th host nation to reach the AFCON final.
The last three host nations to reach the final have won the tournament: Tunisia in 2004, Egypt in 2006 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2023.
Victory for Morocco would see host nations win back-to-back AFCON titles for the first time since 2004 and 2006, when Tunisia and Egypt were champions.
Host nations have won back-to-back AFCON finals three times previously: Ethiopia and Ghana in 1962 and 1963, Ghana and Nigeria in 1978 and 1980, and Tunisia and Egypt in 2004 and 2006.
Host nations have been crowned AFCON champions 12 times previously. In 1959, when Egypt were champions, there was no direct final.
In Sundays’ AFCON final, host Morocco will take on Senegal in the decider at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah, where either of the two will be crowned the new champions of Africa.
Senegal have played all their matches in Tangier up to the final, while Morocco will be playing their seventh game in Rabat.
Senegal will play in their fourth AFCON final and first since 2021, while Morocco will contest their second AFCON final and first since 2004.
When Morocco lifted the trophy in 1976, the final stage was played in a round-robin format with no final.
This is Morocco’s first meeting at an AFCON, but 32nd overall, while Senegal have six wins to Morocco’s 18, with seven draws.
Both nations have met in qualifying for the FIFA World Cup and AFCON finals in the past. Most recently, they met at the 2024 edition of CHAN on August 26, 2025.
Morocco deposed defending champions Senegal in the semi-finals of the 2024 CHAN. The game ended 1-1 before Morocco triumphed 5-3 on penalties en route to reclaiming the title they lost to Senegal at the 2022 CHAN.
Morocco have won four of the last six games between both sides, with Senegal’s only victory in this period coming in the form of a 1-0 win on May 25, 2012 in a friendly match.
Prior to their CHAN meeting, their previous clash on October 9, 2020 saw Morocco win an international friendly 3-1.
Morocco made their inaugural appearance at the FIFA World Cup in 1970, defeating Senegal in the qualifiers.
A play-off match in Las Palmas was required after the aggregate score of the first two games ended 2-2, with Morocco winning the decider 2-0.
Morocco also got the better of Senegal as they qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Senegal reached their first FIFA World Cup finals in 2002. In the qualifying rounds, they faced Morocco, drawing away from home and winning at home.
Both teams finished level on 15 points, with Senegal progressing on superior goal difference.
Morocco’s only AFCON title came in 1976. In the qualifiers, they faced Senegal in the first round, defeating them 5-2 on aggregate. Morocco won the first leg 4-0 in Fez, while Senegal won the second leg 2-1.
This is the ninth AFCON final between teams from West and North Africa. In the previous eight meetings, West African teams have triumphed four times and North African teams four times.
In past finals between teams from West and North Africa, West African teams triumphed in 1965 with Ghana defeating Tunisia; Nigeria over Algeria in 1980; Ghana against Libya on penalties in 1982, and Senegal against Egypt on penalties in 2021.
North African teams have triumphed over West African teams in AFCON finals in 1990 when Algeria defeated Nigeria; in 2006 when Egypt defeated Côte d’Ivoire on penalties; 2010 when Egypt beat Ghana, and in 2019 when Algeria defeated Senegal.
This will be the fifth time a West African team has faced a North African host in the final.
On two occasions, the West African team won—Ghana over Tunisia in 1965 and Ghana over Libya in 1982. The other two finals saw the North African hosts triumph: Algeria over Nigeria in 1990 and Egypt over Côte d’Ivoire on penalties in 2006.
Senegal, featuring in their fourth final, will face a North African team in the final for the third time, having played Algeria in 2019 and Egypt in 2021. Senegal lost in 2019 and won in 2021.
However, the West African will face the host nation in an AFCON final for the first time.
Today’s final will be played with a special edition of the Official Match Ball, featuring gold accents as a tribute to the two finalist teams.
The ball that has been used during the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025, features a striking design that incorporates traditional Moroccan zellij geometric patterns, characterised by central star geometry, floral petal outlines and circular symmetry.
Built on PUMA’s advanced Orbita 6 technology, the ball seamlessly blends heritage with innovation, delivering the performance standards required for elite-level competition while celebrating African culture.
Key Stats
Senegal heave reached this stage with five wins from their six games, winning their group matches against Botswana and Benin, and defeating Sudan, Mali and Egypt in the knockout rounds.
While Morocco will be playing their seventh match, the most they have played at a single AFCON edition.
Pape Thiaw is the second Senegalese coach to lead his country to an AFCON final, following Bruno Metsu in 2002 and Aliou Cissé in 2019 and 2021.
Victory would mean both of Senegal’s AFCON titles have come under Senegalese coaches.
Walid Regragui is the second Moroccan coach to lead the Atlas Lions to an AFCON final, following Ezzaki Badou, who finished runner-up in 2004.
Victory would see Regragui join Romanian coach Virgil Mărdărescu, who led Morocco to the title in 1976, as the only coach to guide the North African to AFCON glory.
Head-to-Head
Senegal: P31 W6 D7 L18 GF18 GA41 GD23
Morocco: P31 W18 D7 L6 GF41 GA18 GD23
