The 2026 Africa Cup of Nations reaches its semi-final stage today with two exciting matches as Senegal face Egypt and Nigeria take on hosts Morocco.
In the first semi-final at 17:00 GMT, Senegal meet Egypt in a repeat of the 2021 AFCON final. Senegal, champions in 2021, are making their third semi-final appearance in the last four editions. They reached this stage after a narrow 1–0 win over Mali in the quarter-finals. Head coach Pape Thiaw has urged his players to be more clinical as they push for another final appearance.
Egypt, seven-time champions, defeated Ivory Coast 3–2 in the quarter-finals and are aiming to win the AFCON title for the first time since 2010. However, defensive concerns remain for coach Hossam Hassan’s side, who have kept only two clean sheets in their last eleven matches.
The second semi-final kicks off at 20:00 GMT, with Nigeria facing Morocco in a highly anticipated clash. Nigeria has been the standout team of the tournament, winning all their matches and scoring 14 goals so far. Their 2–0 victory over Algeria in the quarter-finals confirmed their status as strong title contenders.
Hosts Morocco are also in fine form after beating Cameroon 2–0 to reach the semi-finals. The Atlas Lions have kept three consecutive clean sheets and are hoping to reach the AFCON final for the first time since 2004, as they chase a first title since 1976.
With four of Africa’s biggest football nations involved, tonight’s semi-finals promise high intensity, quality football, and drama as teams battle for a place in the AFCON 2026 final.