Overview
- South Africa will face five-time winners Cameroon in the round of 16 on Sunday, January 4, at Stade El Barid in Rabat.
- Group F was settled on the final day, with Cameroon beating Mozambique 2-1 to finish second as Ivory Coast’s 3-2 comeback over Gabon secured top spot.
- The knockout slate runs January 3–6 across Morocco, featuring ties such as Morocco v Tanzania, Senegal v Sudan, Nigeria v Mozambique, Algeria v DR Congo, and Ivory Coast v Burkina Faso.
- Senegal must do without suspended captain Kalidou Koulibaly for their opener against Sudan after his red card in the group stage.
- A heavyweight field led by Achraf Hakimi, Mohamed Salah and Victor Osimhen is through, with only Zambia missing among past winners, while first-time knockout entrants Mozambique and Tanzania eye upsets.