Algeria and Burkina Faso go head-to-head this Sunday in Rabat, with both nations looking to cement their place in the knockout stages after securing thrilling victories in their Group E openers.
The Desert Foxes currently lead the group following a dominant 3-0 clinical display against Sudan, while the Stallions of Burkina Faso occupy second spot after a dramatic 2-1 stoppage-time comeback against Equatorial Guinea. A victory for either side at the Moulay Hassan Stadium would virtually guarantee a ticket to the Round of 16.
Match details: time and venue
This high-stakes encounter serves as the primary attraction for Sunday’s Group E schedule, taking place in the heart of the Moroccan capital.
- Date: Sunday, 28 December 2025
- Kick-off: 16:00 GMT (17:00 local time)
- Venue: Stade Prince Moulay Hassan, Rabat
AFCON 2025: Schedule, results and standings of the Africa Cup of Nations
How to watch the game globally
The clash between these two powerhouses will be broadcast to a massive global audience through the following rights holders:
- UK: Channel 4 (Free-to-air) and the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel.
- USA & Canada: beIN SPORTS; streaming via Fubo and Fanatiz.
- Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSport (English/Portuguese) and Canal+ Afrique (French).
- North Africa & MENA: beIN SPORTS MENA.
- South Africa: SABC and the SABC+ app.
- Australia & NZ: beIN SPORTS CONNECT.
Team news
Algeria’s head coach Vladimir Petkovic is facing a luxury problem after his side’s emphatic start. While Riyad Mahrez rolled back the years with a brace against Sudan, the talk of Algiers is young Ibrahim Maza, who scored the Fennecs’ 100th-ever AFCON goal on his debut. In goal, Luca Zidane is expected to keep his place following a clean sheet, while Ismaël Bennacer will look to dictate the tempo from midfield. The only concern remains the absence of Houssem Aouar, who was ruled out of the tournament shortly before kick-off.
الخضر يواصلون التحضيرات استعداداً لمواجهة بوركينا فاسو#LesVerts⭐️⭐️| #123vivalAlgérie🇩🇿| #AFCON2025 pic.twitter.com/MYXHrki4Nh
— Équipe d’Algérie de football (@LesVerts) December 26, 2025
Burkina Faso, led by Brama Traoré, will be riding a wave of momentum. The Stallions showed incredible grit to score twice after the 90th minute in their opener, with Edmond Tapsoba proving to be a threat at both ends of the pitch. Dango Ouattara remains their most dangerous outlet on the wing, while the experienced Bertrand Traoré is expected to lead the line as they look to capitalize on Algeria’s high defensive line.
Unbreakable deadlock: by the numbers
This fixture has recently become one of the most balanced matchups in African football, characterized by a series of stalemates and historic milestones:
- Century milestone: With his 85th-minute strike against Sudan, Ibrahim Maza officially scored Algeria’s 100th goal in AFCON history, making them only the fifth nation to reach this landmark.
- Record breaker: By netting twice in the opener, Riyad Mahrez became Algeria’s all-time leading AFCON goalscorer with 7 goals, moving past the legendary Lakhdar Belloumi.
- Stalemate central: The last three competitive meetings between these sides have ended in draws (2-2, 1-1, and 2-2). In fact, across 20 historical meetings, the record is perfectly split with 6 wins each and 8 draws.
- Stallion resilience: Burkina Faso enters this game on a 7-match unbeaten run, having shown incredible endurance by scoring in the 95th and 98th minutes to win their Matchday 1 fixture.
- Defensive wall: Despite their attacking flair, Algeria’s defense has tightened significantly under Petkovic, conceding only 2 goals in their last 5 matches across all competitions.
With the group leadership on the line, Vladimir Petkovic is taking nothing for granted:
“Burkina Faso is a team that never knows when they are beaten, as we saw in their first match. We had a perfect result against Sudan, but our performance can still be more consistent. On Sunday, we must be the masters of our own rhythm.”
