Assessment, results, objectives of CAN 2025

Riyad Mahrez scored twice as Algeria beat Sudan in their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Group E opener in Rabat.

Five-time Premier League winner Mahrez curled in on Hicham Boudaoui’s backheel after two minutes and scored a second in the 61st minute from Mohamed Amoura’s through ball.

Salahedin Adil was sent off for Sudan for a second booking six minutes before the break, with Ibrahim Maza’s goal completing the scoring on Baghdad Bounedjah’s header five minutes from time.

Algeria is back on the hunt! 🇩🇿

Are you excited to see them in #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025? 🤩 pic.twitter.com/hhOQf5QIVG

– CAN TotalEnergies 2025 (@CAF_Online) December 24, 2025

Algeria vs Sudan: Mahrez shines

Algeria won its second CAN title in 2019 but exited in the group stage in the last two editions. This dominant performance therefore represented the ideal start for the team of former Swiss coach Vladimir Petkovic.

Amoura sent a volley against the woodwork after Mahrez’s second, while Fennecs goalkeeper Luca Zidane – son of French World Cup winner Zinedine – kept a clean sheet on the 27-year-old’s Afcon debut.

Both teams will next be in action on Sunday, when Algeria take on Burkina Faso – who scored an injury-time win over Equatorial Guinea earlier on Wednesday – and Sudan take on the National Thunder.

Algeria team against Sudan

Granada goalkeeper Zidane started in place of first choice Alexis Guendouz, who injured knee ligaments in early December.

Zidane made his debut in October after leaving France and was part of a backline against Sudan that included Manchester City’s Rayan Ait-Nouri and Borussia Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini.

Mahrez is a Champions League winner with City and was English champion four times with the Cityzens and once with Leicester City.

Marseillais Amine Gouiri was absent due to shoulder surgery.

Algeria holds the eleven: Luca Zidane, Rafik Belghali, Aissa Mandi, Ramy Bensebaini, Rayan Ait-Nouri, Riyad Mahrez, Hicham Boudaoui, Fares Chaibi, Ismael Bennacer, Mohammed Amoura, Bagdad Bounedjah

Algeria replaces: Anthony Mandrea, Mehdi Dorval, Mohamed Tougai, Zineddine Belaid, Ramiz Zerrouki, Anis Hadj Moussa, Mounsef Bakrar, Jaouen Hadjam, Oussama Benbot, Adem Zagence, Youcef Atal, Ibrahim Maza, Ilan Kebbal, Adil Boulbina, Redouane Berkane

Sudan team against Algeria

Several of Sudan’s most experienced players play for the Al-Hilal national team, including the team’s most capped player, Abuaagla Abdalla, who started in midfield.

Starting defenders Mohamed Ering and Mustafa Karshoum as well as midfielders Abdel Raouf and Salah Adil were among Abdalla’s club teammates involved.

Sudan starting lineup: Monged El Neel, Yaser Awad, Mustafa Karshoum, Mohamed Ering, Bakhit Khamis, Salah Adil, Abuaagla Abdalla, Ammar Taifour, Abdel Raouf, Mohamed Eisa, Abo Eisa

Sudan replaces: Ali Abu Eshrein, Altayeb Abdelrazig, Walieldin Khdir, Yasir Mozamil, Mohamed Abdelrahman, John Mano, Mohamed Abuja, Mazin Mohamedein, Awad Zayed, Ahmed Tabanja, Al Gozoli Nooh, Mohamed Kesra, Sheddy Barglan, Aamir Abdallah, Mohamed Tia Asad

The Algerian team for CAN 2025

Goalkeepers: Oussama Benbot (USM Algiers), Luca Zidane (Granada), Anthony Mandrea (Caen).

Defenders: Rafik Belghali (Hellas Verona), Rayan Ait-Nouri (Mancester City), Youcef Atal (Al-Sadd), Mehdi Dorval (Bari), Jaouen Hadjam (Young Boys), Zineddine Belaid (JS Kabylie), Ramy Bensebaini (Borussia Dortmund), Samir Chergui (Paris FC), Aissa Mandi (Lille), Mohamed Amine Tougai (Espérance).

Midfield: Ismael Bennacer (Dinamo Zagreb), Ramiz Zerrouki (FC Twente), Adem Zagence (Union Saint-Gilloise), Hicham Boudaoui (Nice), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht Frankfurt), Ibrahim Maza (Bayer Leverkusen), Himad Abdelli (Angers).

Advantages: Mohamed Amoura (Wolfsburg), Ilan Kebbal (Paris FC), Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli), Anis Hadj Moussa (Feyenoord), Adil Boulbina (Al-Duhail), Monsef Bakrar (Dinamo Zagreb), Bagdad Bounedjah (Al-Shamal), Redouane Berkane (Al-Wakrah).

Sudan team for CAN 2025

Goalkeepers: Ali Aboeshren (Al Hilal), Mohamed Abooja (Al Merrikh), Monged Elneel (El Merreikh Juba).

Defenders: Altayeb Abaker (Al Hilal), Yasser Awad Boshara (Al Hilal), Mohamed Kasri Hakeem (Jamus), Bakhit Khamis (Al Ahli Tripoli), Mustapha Kharshom (Al Hilal), Mazin Mohamedin (Al Akhdar), Mohamed Saeed Ahmed (Al Hilal), Ahmed Tabanja (Al Merrikh), Awad Zaid (Al Merrikh).

Midfield: Aamir Abdallah (Avondale), Mohamed Abuagla (Al Hilal), Salahedin Adil (Al Hilal), Sheddy Barglan (FC Den Bosch), Musa Ali Hussain (Al Merrikh), Walieldin Khidir (Al Hilal), Abdelrazig Omer (Al Hilal), Amar Taifour (CS Sfaxien).

Advantages: Mohamed Abderahman (Al Hilal), Abo Eisa (Chonburi), Al-Gozoli Nooh (Al Merrikh), Mo Eisa (Uthai Thani), John Mano (Al Akhdar), Yasir Mozamil (Al Hilal), Muhamed Tia Asad (Al Merrikh).

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Which are the host cities for CAN 2025?

Agadir – Grand Stade d’Agadir (capacity – 41,144)

Casablanca – Mohammed V Sports Complex (45,000)

Fes – Fes Sports Complex (35,468)

Marrakech – Grand Stade de Marrakech (41,245)

Rabat – Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex (69,500)

Rabat – Al Barid Stadium (18,000)

Rabat – Olympic Stadium Annex Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex (21,000)

Rabat – Prince Heritier Sports Complex Moulay EL Hassan (22,000)

Tangier – Grand Stade de Tangier (75,600)

CAN 2025 schedule, full schedule of the African Cup of Nations

Sunday December 21, 2025

• Group A: Morocco 2-0 Comoros (Rabat)

Monday December 22, 2025

• Group A: Mali 1-1 Zambia (Casablanca)
• Group B: South Africa 2-1 Angola (Marrakech)
• Group B: Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe (Agadir)

Tuesday December 23, 2025

• Group D: Senegal 3-0 Botswana (Tangier)
• Group D: DR Congo 1-0 Benin (Rabat)
• Group C: Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania (Fez)
• Group C: Tunisia 3-1 Uganda (Rabat)

Wednesday December 24, 2025

• Group E: Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea (Casablanca)
• Group E: Algeria 3-0 Sudan (Rabat)
• Group F: Ivory Coast – Mozambique (Marrakech, 5:30 p.m.)
• Group F: Cameroon – Gabon (Agadir, 8:00 p.m.)

Friday December 26, 2025

• Group B: Angola – Zimbabwe (Marrakech, 12:30 p.m.)
• Group B: Egypt – South Africa (Agadir, 3:00 p.m.)
• Group A: Zambia – Comoros (Casablanca, 5:30 p.m.)
• Group A: Morocco – Mali (Rabat, 8:00 p.m.)

Saturday December 27, 2025

• Group D: Benin – Botswana (Rabat, 12:30 p.m.)
• Group D: Senegal – DR Congo (Tangier, 3:00 p.m.)
• Group C: Uganda – Tanzania (Rabat 3, 5:30 p.m.)
• Group C: Nigeria – Tunisia (Fez, 8:00 p.m.)

Sunday December 28, 2025

• Group F: Gabon vs Mozambique (Agadir, 12:30)
• Group E: Equatorial Guinea – Sudan (Casablanca, 3:00 p.m.)
• Group E: Algeria – Burkina Faso (Rabat, 5:30 p.m.)
• Group F: Ivory Coast – Cameroon, (Marrakech, 8:00 p.m.)

Monday December 29, 2025

• Group B: Angola – Egypt (Agadir, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group B: Zimbabwe – South Africa (Marrakech, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group A: Comoros – Mali (Casablanca, 7:00 p.m.)
• Group A: Zambia – Morocco (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)

Tuesday December 30, 2025

• Group C: Tanzania – Tunisia (Rabat, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group C: Uganda – Nigeria (Fez, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group D: Benin – Senegal (Tangier, 7:00 p.m.)
• Group D: Botswana – DR Congo (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)

Wednesday December 31, 2025

• Group E: Equatorial Guinea – Algeria (Rabat, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group E: Sudan – Burkina Faso (Casablanca, 4:00 p.m.)
• Group F: Gabon – Ivory Coast (Marrakech, 7:00 p.m.)
• Group F: Mozambique vs Cameroon (Agadir, 7:00 p.m.)

2025 African Cup of Nations, round of 16

Saturday January 3, 2026

• SR1: winner of Group D vs third in Group B/E/F (Tangier, 4:00 p.m.)
• SR2: Group A finalists vs Group C finalists (Casablanca, 7:00 p.m.)

Sunday January 4

• SR3: Winner of Group A vs third in Group C/D/E (Rabat, 4:00 p.m.)
• SR4: Vice-champion of Group B vs Vice-champion of Group F (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)

Monday January 5

• SR5: winner of group B vs third of group A/C/D (Agadir, 6 p.m.)
• SR6: winners of Group C vs thirds of Groups A/B/F (Fez, 8:30 p.m.)

Tuesday January 6

• SR7: Winners of Group E vs finalists of Group D (Rabat 2, 6 p.m.)
• SR8: winners of Group F vs vice-champions of Group E (Marrakech, 8:30 p.m.)

Quarter-finals of the 2025 African Cup of Nations

Friday January 9

• QF1: Winner SR2 vs Winner SR1 (Tangier, 4:00 p.m.)
• QF2: Winner SR4 vs Winner SR3 (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)

Saturday January 10

• QF3: Winner SR7 vs Winner SR6 (Marrakech, 4:00 p.m.)
• QF4: Winner SR5 vs Winner SR8 (Agadir, 7:00 p.m.)

2025 African Cup of Nations semi-finals

Wednesday January 14

• SF1: Winner QF1 vs Winner QF4 (Tangier, 5:00 p.m.)
• SF2: Winner QF3 vs Winner QF2 (Rabat, 8:00 p.m.)

2025 Africa Cup of Nations third place match

Saturday January 17

• SF1 vs SF2 losers (Casablanca, 4:00 p.m.)

2025 African Cup of Nations Final

Sunday January 18

• Winners SF1 vs SF2 (Rabat, 7:00 p.m.)