Overview
- Nigeria beat Uganda 3-1 in Fes to clinch Group C with three wins, as Paul Onuachu opened the scoring and Raphael Onyedika added a brace.
- Tunisia drew 1-1 with Tanzania in Rabat to finish second in Group C, while Tanzania advanced for the first time as a best third-placed team and will face host Morocco on 4 January in Rabat.
- Tunisia will meet Mali in Casablanca on 3 January after securing qualification, with Ismaël Gharbi scoring from the spot against Tanzania.
- Senegal topped Group D by defeating Benin 3-0 in Tangier, but captain Kalidou Koulibaly was sent off and will miss the round of 16; DR Congo beat Botswana 3-0 to finish second and will face Algeria.
- Early round-of-16 pairings now include Morocco–Tanzania, Tunisia–Mali, Algeria–DR Congo and Egypt–Benin, while Nigeria awaits the third-placed team from Group F and Senegal draws the third from Group E.