Africa Cup of Nations 2025 is hurtling towards its climax this week as Africa’s finest are set to do battle for the crown.
Hosts Morocco are the nation to beat, according to the very latest AFCON 2026 betting odds and they will face Nigeria next; the one nation left in the semis which won’t be at the 2026 World Cup finals.
In the other semi-final we have a tantalising repeat of the 2022 final as Egypt prepare to take on Senegal in search of revenge. It all adds up to another tense week of international football as Africa takes further steps towards becoming a major force in world football. Some of the top players on the planet will be going toe to toe in pursuit of the big prize, so let’s run the SBOTOP rule over the final four.
Nigeria vs. Morocco
Morocco will face Brazil when they head to the World Cup in June and, as hosts of AFCON 2025 they want to go with a trophy in their cabinet, and the confidence which goes with it. And one player sure to shine in Canada, Mexico and the USA is Real Madrid winger Brahim Diaz. The 26 year old has sparkled at AFCON, scoring in all five of Morocco’s games so far, latterly when he scored the opener in the 2-0 quarter final victory over Cameroon.
What he lacks in stature Diaz makes up for in confidence in his supreme ability, which has seen him torment defenders with his superb ball skills and trickery. A key man in Los Blancos’ a Liga and Champions League campaigns he is star quality and a born match-winner. In a competition often characterized by strength and defensive organization, Diaz is leading the march to give African fans sensational football to watch. He’s made enough AFCON 2026 highlights to fill a tournament and there is more to come.
2023 finalists Nigeria fell to the hosts Ivory Coast last time and they will hope to avoid the same fate against Morocco. And they reached the semi-final with a comfortable 2-0 win over another fancied nation, Algeria, thanks to goals from Victor Osimhen and Akor Adams. Eric Chelle’s side were well organized from the off and gave the Algerians little time to settle, with the ever lively Ademola Lookman stretching the Algerian defence, and the Atalanta man almost put Osimhen through for an early goal. Calvin Bassey came close to scoring before the break but minutes into the second half Nigeria were ahead as Osimhem rose to thump an unstoppable header into the net. And one became two when Osimhen took a pass from Alex Iwobi and squared for Adams to slot home to see Nigeria safely through.
Home advantage makes Morocco favourites to win this match, at SBOTOP odds of 2.20, with Nigeria priced at 3.40 and the Draw at 2.95.
Senegal vs. Egypt
Liverpool and Egypt legend Mo Salah will hope to lay the ghost of the 2022 final when the Pharaohs lost a penalty shootout final to Senegal by 4-2, and that was the Senegalese’s first AFCON in their history. This time around Egypt ended the tournament for the 2025 holders Ivory Coast as Salah scored and assisted in a pulsating 3-2 win. The seven times champions came flying out of the blocks as Manchester City star Omar Marmoush opened the scoring with just four minutes on the clock. And with half an hour gone the Egyptians had the tie in their hands as Ramy Rabia rose to head home the second from a pinpoint Salah cross. The Ivory Coast halved the deficit when Ahmed Aboul- Fatouh put through his own net, but Salah restored the two goal lead early in the second half, before Guela Doue set up a tense finish with Ivory Coast’s second.
Of the final four Senegal were the least impressive in their quarter final as they beat Mali 1-0. They had a huge helping hand from Tottenham Hotpspur star Yves Bissouma who picked up two yellow cards in the first half to leave Mali with ten men. Keeper Djigui Diarra performed heroics to keep the scores level, but his luck ran out and it was his mistake which allowed Senegal to score. Diarra spilled a cross into the path of Illiman Ndiaye and he gleefully prodded to ball home to send Senegal through.
Egypt are on the hunt for revenge but they will start as outsiders in this semi-final at odds of 3.70, with Senegal at 2.05 and the Draw priced at 2.95.
Disclaimer: Odds are correct at time of publish.
●●●
CHEC OUT OUR BLOG FOR MORE FOOTBALL STORIES & ODDS
Stay updated with everything sports and betting.
