Overview:
Hosts have lost in the final three times. Two of those defeats—Nigeria against Cameroon in 2000 and Libya against Ghana in 1982—were on penalties, while Tunisia lost to Ghana in 1965.
The curtains will come down on Sunday January 18 at the Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium, Rabat as hosts Morocco and 2021 champions Senegal battle for Africa’s crown in the 2025 Afcon final.
The two sides have only one title to their name and the winner will add a second star to the national jersey.
Ahead of the clash of the titans, Ismael Kiyonga delves into some interesting statistics, facts and figures.
This will be Senegal’s fourth AFCON final in history and third in the past four editions having reached the final in 2019 and 2021 while Morocco are into the third final and first since 2004.
Shockingly, this will be the first meeting between the two nations at an AFCON meeting.
However, there have been THIRTY-ONE meetings before in other competitions with Senegal winning only SIX against Morocco’s 18 [D7]
They have met in qualifying for the FIFA World Cup and AFCON finals in the past. Most recently, they met at the 2024 edition of CHAN on 26th August 2025 with the Atlas Lions triumphant 5-3 penalties after a 1-1 draw in the semis.
Morocco have won four of the last six games between the sides, with Senegal’s only victory in this period coming in the form of a 1-0 win on 25th May 2012 in a friendly match.
Prior to their CHAN meeting, their previous clash on 9th October 2020 saw Morocco win a friendly international 3-1.
Morocco made their inaugural appearance at the FIFA World Cup in 1970, defeating Senegal in the qualifiers. A play-off match in Las Palmas was required after the aggregate score of the first two games ended 2-2, with Morocco winning the decider 2-0.
Morocco also got the better of Senegal as they qualified for the 1994 FIFA World Cup.
Senegal reached their first FIFA World Cup finals in 2002. In the qualifying rounds, they faced Morocco, drawing away from home and winning at home. Both teams finished level on 15 points, with Senegal progressing on superior goal difference.
Morocco’s only AFCON title came in 1976. In the qualifiers, they faced Senegal in the first round, defeating them 5-2 on aggregate. Morocco won the first leg 4-0 in Fez, while Senegal won the second leg 2-1.
Morocco become the 15th host nation to reach the AFCON final with the last three host nations to reach the final have winning the tournament: Tunisia in 2004, Egypt in 2006 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2023.
The host nation has reached the final in successive editions for the first time since 2004 and 2006, when Tunisia and Egypt both reached the final and won the tournament.
The last host nation to lose in the final was Nigeria in 2000, losing on penalties to Cameroon after a 2-2 draw.
Victory for Morocco would see host nations win back-to-back AFCON titles for the first time since 2004 and 2006, when Tunisia and Egypt were champions.
Host nations have won back-to-back AFCON finals three times previously: Ethiopia and Ghana in 1962 and 1963, Ghana and Nigeria in 1978 and 1980, and Tunisia and Egypt in 2004 and 2006.
Host nations have been crowned AFCON champions 12 times previously. In 1959, when Egypt were champions, there was no direct final.
Hosts have won the final 11 times previously: Ethiopia (1962), Ghana (1963), Sudan (1970), Ghana (1978), Nigeria (1980), Egypt (1986), Algeria (1990), South Africa (1996), Tunisia (2004), Egypt (2006) and Côte d’Ivoire (2023).
Hosts have lost in the final three times. Two of those defeats—Nigeria against Cameroon in 2000 and Libya against Ghana in 1982—were on penalties, while Tunisia lost to Ghana in 1965.
Hosts have been involved in a penalty shoot-out in the final four times. Egypt won two finals on penalties in 1986 and 2006 against Cameroon and Côte d’Ivoire respectively, with both matches ending 0-0. Hosts have lost twice on penalties: Libya against Ghana in 1982 after a 1-1 draw, and Nigeria against Cameroon in 2000 after a 2-2 draw.
The only host nation to lose an AFCON final in open play was Tunisia in 1965, losing 3-2 after extra time to Ghana.
All three defeats by host nations in AFCON finals have gone to extra time.
Ten of the 12 AFCON final victories by host nations have been achieved in open play, with two decided on penalties.
Ghana and Nigeria’s 3-0 wins over Sudan and Algeria in the 1963 and 1980 finals are the biggest victories by a host nation in an AFCON final.
The AFCON final involving a host nation with the most goals was Ethiopia’s 4-2 win over Egypt in 1962. The match produced six goals and required extra time.
This is the ninth AFCON final between teams from West and North Africa. In the previous eight meetings, either have won four times.
In past finals between teams from West and North Africa, West African teams triumphed in 1965 with Ghana defeating Tunisia, Nigeria over Algeria in 1980, Ghana against Libya on penalties in 1982, and Senegal against Egypt on penalties in 2021.
North African teams have triumphed over West African teams in AFCON finals in 1990 when Algeria defeated Nigeria, in 2006 when Egypt defeated Côte d’Ivoire on penalties, in 2010 when Egypt beat Ghana, and in 2019 when Algeria defeated Senegal.
When West and North African teams have met in AFCON finals, five matches have been decided in open play and three on penalties—Ghana and Senegal defeating Libya and Egypt in 1982 and 2021 respectively, and Egypt defeating Côte d’Ivoire on penalties in 2006.
This is the fifth time a West African team has faced a North African host in the final. On two occasions, the West African team won—Ghana over Tunisia in 1965 and Ghana over Libya in 1982. The other two finals saw the North African hosts triumph: Algeria over Nigeria in 1990 and Egypt over Côte d’Ivoire on penalties in 2006.
Senegal, featuring in their fourth final, will face a North African team in the final for the third time, having played Algeria in 2019 and Egypt in 2021. They lost in 2019 and won in 2021.
The two most common scorelines in AFCON finals are 1-0 (eight times) and 0-0 (seven times). Since 2002, nine of the 12 finals have ended with one of those scorelines, with the other three being 2-1 victories for Tunisia in 2004, Cameroon in 2017 and Côte d’Ivoire in 2023.
Of the 32 previous AFCON finals, 12 have gone to extra time. Two—Ethiopia’s win over Egypt in 1962 and Ghana’s win over Tunisia in 1965—were decided in open play. In 1974, DR Congo drew 2-2 with Zambia in the first final, which went to extra time, before winning the replay 2-0.
Nine AFCON finals have been decided on penalties, the first occurring in 1982 when Ghana defeated Libya 7-6 after a 1-1 draw.
Since Cameroon and Nigeria’s 2-2 draw in the 2000 final, the last five finals to be decided on penalties have all ended 0-0 after 120 minutes: Cameroon over Senegal in 2002, Egypt against Côte d’Ivoire in 2006, Zambia over Côte d’Ivoire in 2012, Côte d’Ivoire against Ghana in 2015, and Senegal over Egypt in 2021.
The biggest win in an AFCON final remains Egypt’s 4-0 victory over Ethiopia in 1957.