Continental heavyweights Cameroon and hosts Morocco meet this Friday in a blockbuster quarter-final clash that many are calling the “Final before the Final.” In a repeat of the famous 1988 encounter, the Atlas Lions aim to use their home advantage to finally overcome their historical hoodoo against the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon.
Morocco entered the last eight with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Tanzania, maintaining their status as the tournament’s defensive gold standard.
Cameroon, meanwhile, displayed their trademark knockout pedigree by edging past South Africa 2-1 in a high-intensity Round of 16 encounter in Rabat.
Match details: Time and Venue
The match will take place at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah, the crown jewel of Moroccan football, where the atmosphere is expected to be the most electric of the tournament so far.
- Date: Friday, 9 January 2026
- Kick-off: 19:00 GMT (20:00 local time)
- Venue: Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah, Rabat
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Where to watch the game globally
As the tournament enters its most critical phase, fans can follow the action through these primary broadcasters:
- UK: Channel 4 (Free-to-air) on 4Seven, E4, and the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel.
- USA & Canada: beIN SPORTS and beIN SPORTS en Español. Streaming available via Fubo, Sling TV, and Fanatiz.
- Sub-Saharan Africa: SuperSport (English/Portuguese) and Canal+ Afrique (French).
- Morocco: Arryadia TNT (Free-to-air) and beIN SPORTS MENA.
- South Africa: SABC 1 and the SABC+ app.
- Australia & NZ: beIN SPORTS CONNECT.
Team news
Morocco head coach Walid Regragui welcomed back captain Achraf Hakimi in the previous round, and the PSG star provided the vital assist for the winner. However, the hosts face a significant blow as midfield engine Azzedine Ounahi has been ruled out for the remainder of the tournament with a calf injury. Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz, who has scored in every game so far, remains the primary attacking threat for the Atlas Lions.
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Cameroon, under David Pagou, continue to defy expectations despite the absence of veteran names like Vincent Aboubakar. The emergence of young forward Christian Kofane, who scored in the Round of 16, has given the Lions a fresh edge.
However, they are sweating on the fitness of Brighton midfielder Carlos Baleba, who picked up a knock in training. Bryan Mbeumo is expected to keep his place in a dynamic front three.
Historical hoodoo
History is overwhelmingly in favor of Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions have never lost to Morocco in the Africa Cup of Nations (W2, D1). Most famously, Cameroon defeated Morocco on home soil in the 1988 semi-finals, a memory the Moroccan public is desperate to avenge. Overall, in 13 meetings, Cameroon has won seven times compared to Morocco’s two.
Despite the stats, Walid Regragui remains confident:
“History is there to be rewritten. We respect Cameroon’s five stars, but we are playing in front of our people and our goal is to reach the 18th of January. We will play with our hearts.”
David Pagou was equally resolute:
“Morocco is the best team in Africa right now on paper, but Cameroon is Cameroon. We don’t fear anyone in the knockout stages. We have the DNA of champions.”
Quarter-Finals: fixtures
| Match | Venue | Time (GMT) |
| Mali vs Senegal | Tangier | 16:00 |
| Cameroon vs Morocco | Rabat | 19:00 |
