The curtain comes down on the Round of 16 at AFCON 2025 on Tuesday night, with two heavyweight ties set to decide the final quarter-finalists. Unbeaten Algeria and defending champions Ivory Coast headline a night that promises drama, edge, and little room for error.
With Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Egypt, Cameroon and Senegal already safely through, only two spots in the last eight remain. By the end of the evening, the knockout picture will be complete.
Both Algeria and Ivory Coast know the stakes. Both also know that at this stage of the tournament, reputation counts for very little.
Algeria vs DR Congo
Kick-off: 7:00pm
Algeria arrive with a spotless record, having swept aside all opposition in the group stage with authority and control. The Desert Foxes have looked composed, balanced and ruthless when required, marking them out as genuine title contenders.
Standing in their way, however, is a DR Congo side that has built a reputation for resilience and tactical discipline. While Algeria have history on their side, knockout football rarely follows the script.
The two sides last met in 2022, when Algeria ran out 3-0 winners in a friendly. Overall, DR Congo are still searching for their first-ever victory against Algeria, having drawn three and lost two of their previous five encounters.
That record will matter little once the whistle blows, but Algeria know that a single lapse could undo all the good work of a perfect group campaign.
Ivory Coast vs Burkina Faso
Kick-off: 10:00pm
Defending champions Ivory Coast return to the spotlight in a mouthwatering West African showdown against Burkina Faso, with a quarter-final place on the line.
The Elephants remain unbeaten since lifting the AFCON 2023 title, but they were given a timely reminder of the tournament’s unforgiving nature in their last outing. A heavily rotated side was pushed to the limit by Gabon before late substitutions swung the game in Ivory Coast’s favour in a thrilling 3-2 win.
Coach Emerse Fae is expected to name a stronger lineup against a Burkinabe team that has quietly grown into the competition. Burkina Faso arrive off the back of victories over Sudan and Equatorial Guinea, with their only setback coming against Algeria.
History favours Ivory Coast, who have won eight of the 13 meetings between the sides, compared to just two victories for Burkina Faso. The remaining three ended level.
Yet, as AFCON has repeatedly shown, past meetings offer no guarantees. With two proud footballing nations and a place in the last eight at stake, the final night of the Round of 16 is set to deliver a fitting finale.
