Senegal, emerging as unbeaten group winners from Group D, is set to take on Sudan, the third-place finishers from Group E, in the Round of 16 at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations taking place in Morocco in 2025. This much-anticipated match is scheduled for January 3, with kick-off at 17:00 local time (16:00 GMT), and will be held at the Grande Stade de Tangier.
This contest marks the first occasion these two teams will clash at the Africa Cup of Nations. Historically, Senegal holds a decisive advantage in their previous encounters, having faced Sudan seven times with an impressive record of four wins and three draws. Significantly, during these meetings, Senegal has outscored Sudan by a margin of 8 to 1, with a solitary goal conceded in a 1-1 draw during the 2024 CHAN tournament’s third-place match, which Senegal later won 4-2 on penalties.
In recent competitions, the two teams also crossed paths during the 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifiers. Their first match on March 22, 2025, ended in a goalless draw when Sudan hosted, but Senegal secured a victory in the return fixture on September 5, 2025, winning 2-0 with contributions from Kalidou Koulibaly and Pape Matar Sarr.
Undeniably, Senegal has proven their prowess in the Africa Cup of Nations, never losing to East African opponents throughout five matches, winning four and drawing only once. They have faced teams such as Ethiopia, Kenya, and Uganda in past tournaments, consistently demonstrating strong performances, which bodes well as they gear up to face Sudan.
Conversely, Sudan navigates this tournament looking to establish a stronger footing against West African rivals. With only three wins in ten previous encounters at AFCON, they are currently on a two-match losing streak against West African teams. Nonetheless, reaching the knockout stage is a significant achievement for Sudan, marking their first entry into the Round of 16 since 2012, and their first-ever match in this stage of the tournament.
Both teams come into this encounter with notable statistics. Senegal, having maintained an unbeaten record throughout the group stage, scored seven goals and only conceded one, while Sudan managed to progress with just three points, the lowest total among the Round of 16 teams, scoring only one goal, which was an own goal.
As the continental showdown approaches, the anticipation builds for an exciting match, where Senegal will aim to continue their dominant streak, while Sudan seeks to make a statement and prove their mettle on the big stage.