Countries have begun to qualify for the knockout stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations [Afcon] as the last round of the Group phase matches will start on Monday.
This is the stage where the competition intensifies, as some teams are still striving to secure a spot in the next round.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and two other countries have already secured their place in the knockout stage with one more match to play.
Meanwhile, others are hoping to win or draw their last group match to qualify.
According to the 2025 Afcon table, teams that win their first two matches automatically qualify for the next round, as two wins already give them six points out of a possible nine points.
These countries include: Nigeria, Egypt, Algeria
Group B: Egypt was the first team to qualify for the knockout stage in Group A.
The Pharoahs have six points after they beat Zimbabwe 2-1 in their first match and also beat South Africa 1-0 in their second match.
They will play their last match against Angola on Monday for a possible nine points if they win.
Group C: Nigeria: The Super Eagles are currently topping Group B with six points.
Nigeria defeated the Taifa Stars of Tanzania 1-0 in their first match before beating Tunisia 3-2 in a thrilling five-goal match on Saturday.
The Super Eagles will face Uganda on Tuesday for their last group match; if they win, they will get nine points; if they draw, they will have seven points.
Group E: Algeria: The North African side, Algeria, qualified from Group E with six points.
The Desert Foxes beat Burkina Faso 1-0 in their second match.
They defeated Sudan 3-0 in their opening game for the 2025 Afcon.
Algeria will face a tough test against Equatorial Guinea on Tuesday.
As Afcon Group matches continue, some countries still have hope to qualify after the last round of group games. These countries include:
Group A: Morocco, who are hosting the 2025 Afcon, are still in a favorable position. The Atlas Lions have four points from two matches and are topping their group.
Mali is second with two points; Morocco will face Zambia on Monday in what will be a very tough match, while Mali will play Comoros.
Morocco and Mali have a better chance to qualify.
Group B: The competition in Group D is fierce. Two West African giants, Senegal and DR Congo, have the same four points.
The two countries won their first match and drew their second. Benin Republic is third with three points but still has a chance to top the group if they win their last match and Senegal or DR Congo lose.
Senegal will face Benin, while DR Congo will play Botswana on Tuesday.
Group F: Defending champions Ivory Coast and Cameroon are in a similar situation, each with four points, while Botswana has three points.
Ivory Coast needs to qualify if they want to defend their title, which they won in 2023.
Cameroon also wants to make a statement, at least to show that even though they missed out on the 2026 World Cup, they can still perform well in Afcon for their fans.
Gabon and Ivory Coast will clash on Wednesday, while Mozambique and Cameroon are also preparing for Wednesday.
