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The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final between hosts Morocco and Senegal promises to be a gripping conclusion to a tournament filled with high drama, national passion and tactical prestige.
Set for Sunday, 18 January 2026 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, the showdown pits two of Africa’s best teams against each other, one seeking history, the other striving to retain continental glory.Morocco, playing on home soil for the first time in AFCON history, have not lifted the trophy since 1976.
That long wait has weighed heavily on fans and pundits alike, but the Atlas Lions enter the final buoyed by strong performances and the electric support of their home crowd. Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui has been at the centre of the build-up, urging his squad to manage the intense emotions that come with playing such a high-stakes match in front of passionate supporters.
The team that naturally has the pressure is Morocco. It’s normal — we’re playing at home,
Regragui said in a pre-final press conference, adding that controlling emotions and handling expectations will be decisive.
For us, the key factor will be managing emotions. My only fear is not playing freely, putting too much pressure on ourselves and starting to think negatively. This is a football match, a final: you have to play it, you have to enjoy it.
Regragui also highlighted the importance of star midfielder Brahim Díaz, Morocco’s top scorer in the tournament, pointing to his mentality and attacking influence as a key factor in the final.
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His mentality is strong, he plays with a lot of desire.
Regragui said of Díaz, highlighting the player’s role in orchestrating Morocco’s offensive play. Díaz has been crucial throughout the campaign, scoring five goals. He added,
He knows he has to make a difference. The most important thing is how he orchestrates the attacking phases
On the other side, for Senegal, the final represents another opportunity to cement their status among Africa’s elite. The Lions of Teranga have reached three finals in four editions of AFCON, winning the title in Ivory Coast and showing remarkable consistency at the highest level.
Senegal head coach, Pape Bouna Thiaw’s squad brings a blend of experience and tactical discipline, with seasoned internationals who know what it takes to perform on the biggest stage.
However, the buildup has not been without tension. Senegal’s camp publicly criticised organisational shortcomings during their arrival in Rabat, citing concerns over security and accommodation, issues they described as “incompatible with the standards of a competition of this magnitude.”
We have to say what happened is abnormal, abnormal for a team like Senegal to be left with the crowd like that. The players were in danger. Anything could have happened through the actions of malicious people,
Thiaw said, expressing disappointment with the pre-match arrangements.Despite off-field distractions, Thiaw emphasised a deeply personal motivation ahead of the final: the potential farewell of talisman Sadio Mané, who hinted that this could be his last AFCON tournament.
His decision is no longer up to him. There is a whole people behind him too and they would like to see him continue
Thiaw said, adding that Mané’s legacy and influence make him a central figure in Senegal’s final push for silverware.Tactically, the final will likely be a battle of contrasts, that is, Morocco with the impetus and expectation of a home crowd, and Senegal with the experience of recent finals and a composed, disciplined structure.
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