WHO: Cameroon vs Morocco
what: CAF Africa Cup of Nations
where: Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco
When: fridayJanuary 9 at 8pm (19:00 GMT)
How to follow: We will prepare all Al Jazeera Sports Ahead of our live score and text commentary stream from 16:00 GMT.
Cameroon were given little chance at the Africa Cup of Nations as off-field issues marred their build-up to the tournament but the Indomitable Lions stood firm against the odds to reach the quarter-finals in Morocco.
The five-time champions face the hosts in Friday’s last-eight clash, knowing the pressure is firmly on the North Africans as they look to win their first AFCON title in 50 years in front of their home supporters.
With the participation of high-profile players such as Brahim Diaz, Achraf Hakimi, Brian Mbeumo and Carlos Baleba, there will be no shortage of talent on display in Rabat.
Here’s everything you need to know about Cameroon vs Morocco:
What happened in Cameroon’s camp ahead of AFCON 2025?
Cameroon have spent the past 18 months in a strange battle of wills between their federation, led by four-time African footballer of the year Samuel Eto’o, and the sports ministry that appointed the coach.
Head coach Mark Bryce was appointed against Eto’o’s wishes and the pair had a public spat during the 21 months they managed the Belgian side. While Bryce was supported by the government, which pays the team’s expenses, a frustrated Eto’o could not get rid of his coach whenever he fell short.
Ultimately, Cameroon, who played more FIFA World Cups than any other African nation, had a disappointing qualifying campaign and failed to make the cut for the 2026 edition.
With the World Cup qualification failure, concurrent with a landslide re-election victory for Eto’o, Bryce’s support suddenly waned and he was sacked three weeks before the AFCON. In his place, the unheralded David Pagou was appointed as the new coach and the squad for the AFCON was selected without captain Vincent Abubakar or goalkeeper Andre Onana, who had earlier shown support to the sports minister.
How did Cameroon reach the AFCON quarter-finals?
Cameroon finished runners-up in Group F with two wins and one draw. They were level on seven points with Ivory Coast, but settled for second place after scoring fewer goals than the table toppers.
In the round of 16, Cameroon to kill South Africa 2-1, thanks to goals from Junior Tchamadue and Christian Kofene.
What happened in the Moroccan camp?
Despite being tipped as overwhelming favourites, the World Cup 2022 semi-finalists faced criticism after a nervy opening-day win against the minnows Comoros and a draw with Mali, before restoring confidence with a convincing 3-0 win over Zambia in their final group match.
Coach Walid Regragui apologized to disappointed fans for the team’s poor performance, saying, “Moroccans are naturally emotional, they need confidence.”
Captain Hakimi appealed to the fans to support them all the way.
“If the fans are behind us, we can be champions of Africa together,” he said.
How did Morocco reach the quarter-finals?
Morocco topped Group A with an identical record, two wins and seven points and one draw.
They kicked off their knockout campaign with a 1–0 win over Tanzania in the Round of 16.
Who will the winner face in the next round?
The winner of the Cameroon vs Morocco match will face the winner of the Algeria vs Nigeria match in the semi-finals. The match will be held on January 14 in Rabat.
Who are Cameroon’s best players?
Cameroon are not one of the most free-scoring sides, but a handful have stepped up to the task.
Teenage forward Christian Coffey has been a standout player, scoring twice in the tournament, including the decisive strike in the round-of-16 win, to underline his growing importance for the Indomitable Lions. Cameroon were fortunate during the group stage, benefiting from two own goals that helped keep their campaign on track.
Beyond Kofene, Tchamadue and Eta Iyong have scored, while established star Brian Mbeumo and emerging talent Carlos Baleba have both impressed, earning man of the match awards for their impressive displays.
Who are Morocco’s best players?
Right winger Brahim Diaz has been Morocco’s standout performer at AFCON 2025.
The Real Madrid man is the tournament’s top scorer with four goals, finding the net in each of Morocco’s four matches and underlining his status as their most decisive attacking threat.
Striker Ayoub El Kaabi has also caught the eye, with his acrobatic finish drawing praise from fans and pundits alike and scoring two goals to bolster Morocco’s front line.
Achraf Hakimi, regarded as the world’s best right-back, missed the first two matches with an ankle injury but has returned to full match fitness, making his first start of the tournament in the first knockout round.
Cameroon and Morocco form guide
Cameroon: WWDWL
Morocco: WWDWW
head-to-head
Cameroon and Morocco have met in the last 13 encounters in competitive and friendly games.
Cameroon dominated the head-to-head record with seven wins, while four games were drawn. Morocco have won just twice.
When was the last time Cameroon and Morocco met?
The teams last met in February 2021 at the Africa Nations Championship, commonly known as CHAN, in the semi-finals. Morocco won the match 4-0.
Has Cameroon ever won the AFCON title?
yes Cameroon is one of Africa’s leading powers in the tournament. They have won the title five times in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002 and 2017.
They are the second most successful team in AFCON behind Egypt, who have won seven titles.
Has Morocco ever won the AFCON title?
yes Morocco won their first and only title in 1976. At the time, Morocco was the second North African team to win the continental championship after Egypt.
Cameroon team news
Cameroon’s coach, David Pagou, could be without midfielder Darlene Yongwa as he was injured after just 21 minutes of the last-16 match.
Cameron’s predicted lineup
Davis Epacy; Che Malone, Samuel Cotto, Nohou Tolo; Junior Tchamadue, Arthur Awome, Carlos Baleba, Mahamadou Ngida; Brian Mbeumo, Christian Kofene, Danny Namaso
Morocco team news
Morocco coach Walid Regragui will be without attacking midfielder Azzedine Onahi, who has been ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury.
“He has a tear in his calf and cannot play in the AFCON. He is unavailable for five to six weeks,” Regragui confirmed after the game against Tanzania. “He injured himself in training. It’s an old injury at Girona and it’s reopened.”
Morocco’s predicted lineup
Yasin Bouno; Achraf Hakimi, Nayef Aguird, Adam Masina, Nausair Mazroui; Bilal El Khannous, Neil El Aynaoui, Ismail Saibri; Brahim Diaz, Ayoub El Kaabi, Abde Ijjalzouli