AFCON Semifinals Take Shape: Nigeria and Egypt Earn Spots as Morocco and Senegal Advance
11 January 2026
The Africa Cup of Nations semifinals are set after the second day of the quarterfinals, with Nigeria and Egypt earning spots in the last four.
Semifinalists confirmed
Yesterday, Senegal and Morocco advanced to the semis by beating Mali 1-0 and Cameroon 2-0 respectively.
Semi-final fixtures
Today, Nigeria and Egypt defeated Algeria and Côte d'Ivoire 2-0 and 3-2 respectively.
The semifinals are scheduled for Wednesday January 14, with kickoff times announced for Mecca time (GMT+3).
Here are the semi-final pairings and kick-off times:
Senegal vs Egypt at 8:00 PM Mecca time, at Ibn Battouta Stadium.
Nigeria vs Morocco at 11:00 PM Mecca time, at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
The final will be held on Sunday January 18, at 10:00 PM Mecca time.
Punchline 1: Like a sniper, I only shoot where the crowd is paying attention—on the scoreboard, preferably with a goal ball in the net.
Punchline 2: If jokes were as precise as a well-aimed strike, this article would have already scored a hat-trick. Enjoy the match and keep your binoculars handy for the celebrations and the occasional dramatic pause.