The 2025 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations follows a simple script for the most part. A tournament often defined by small animals enjoying a fairytale run, this time there was no true underdog story.
Instead, the traditional powerhouses appear to be acknowledging their authority in the continent’s most prestigious tournament.
From Brahim Dias, who made a breakthrough for Morocco in the absence of Achraf Hakimi, to Ademola Lookman, who topped the goal contribution rankings, to Amad Diallo, who has emerged as one of the frontrunners for the tournament’s Player of the Year award, this is shaping up to be a tournament dominated by the big boys.
The numbers bear this out. AFCON 2025 will be the first tournament since the FIFA rankings were introduced in 1992 that all eight quarter-finalists will be ranked in Africa’s top 10.
The closest previous examples were in 2008 and 2017, when seven of the final eight teams were top-10 picks.
Additionally, the remaining eight teams are all undefeated in this tournament, proving the high level of their future.
BetKing 2025 AFCON Knockout Stage Betting Tips
With that context in mind, let’s break down the chances of the remaining eight teams aiming to win the title on January 18th.
Morocco
After reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, a historic feat for both African and Arab countries, Morocco entered AFCON 2023 with high expectations, but ultimately succumbed to the pressure.
This time, however, the host nation was able to steal the spotlight more effectively while enduring a different kind of pressure.
Morocco have won three of their last four matches, conceding only one goal.
Despite being without captain and African Player of the Year Achraf Hakimi in the group stage, the North Africans were led by the tournament’s top scorers Brahim Dias (4 goals, already Morocco’s AFCON record) and Ayoub El Kaabi (3 goals).
Having completed a team-high 2,184 passes and keeping three clean sheets, they have shown few obvious weaknesses as they aim to reach the semi-finals for the first time since 2004.
Hakimi’s return to fitness was a timely boost, most notably with his assist in the 1-0 win against Tanzania in the Round of 16.
Combine that with the benefit of playing in front of your home crowd, and it’s no wonder BetKing has Morocco as favorites to win the tournament.
BetKing Betting Tips:
senegal
Senegal have enjoyed an excellent tournament so far, despite the somewhat expected problems of being held to a draw by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the second match.
He has scored three goals in each of the remaining three games, including a 3-1 win over Sudan in the Round of 16.
What stands out about Teranga’s Lions is how effectively they utilize the depth of their team, with a variety of players stepping up at key moments.
From Pape Gueye, whose two first-half goals against Sudan put his team firmly in charge in the Round of 16 draw, to Sadio Mane, who had three assists, to Nicholas Jackson, who set the tone in the opening win against Botswana, this shows the overall strength of the 2021 champions.
Senegal will face Mali in the quarterfinals as favorites, but Mali has never lost in 13 matches (6 wins, 7 draws).
Goals are the focus of this AFCON, and Senegal have shown they have what it takes to find them, which is why they rank second on BetKing’s list.
BetKing Betting Tips:
Nigeria
The Super Eagles’ impressive Round of 16 victory may have been overshadowed by star forward Victor Osimhen’s indiscretion, but that episode aside, it was difficult to ignore the quality of the tournament for the three-time AFCON champions.
It is clear that there are defensive concerns highlighted by their four goals conceded, the most among the eight teams that advanced to the quarterfinals in the group stage, but their tournament-leading 12 points confirms their offensive ability to compensate for those shortcomings.
After scoring just one goal in his last AFCON appearance, Osimhen has been in great form this time around, scoring three goals so far.
Eiko Adams, who had two assists, was a valuable addition to the starting line-up, while Alex Iwobi has been widely praised for a series of commanding midfield performances reminiscent of the influence his uncle once had.
But the standout performer is Ademola Lookman. With three goals and a tournament-high four assists, the Atalanta forward was the most decisive player in the final third of this AFCON.
Driven by a desire to make up for missing out on the 2026 World Cup, the Super Eagles are on a roll and the online betting community can pick them to win 5x their stake and clinch their coveted fourth AFCON title.
BetKing Betting Tips:
Ivory Coast
Reigning champions Ivory Coast have been firmly defending their title so far, winning three of their four matches.
After scoring just two goals in the opening two games, their attack has been activated in the last two games, producing six unanswered goals.
In the final match of the group stage against Gabon, they surprisingly fell behind by two points after just 21 minutes, but the scoring didn’t stop after that.
Manchester United forward Amad Diallo has repaid the faith shown in him by accepting a more important role within the team.
He was named man of the match in three of the four games and contributed to three goals. Although there are signs of instability, the Elephants look to get better as the tournament progresses, just as they did last time they won.
This upward trajectory gives them a slight edge, placing them in fourth place on this list.
BetKing Betting Tips:
egypt
After a difficult start to the season with Liverpool, Mohamed Salah entered the competition with even more motivation. To win the competition and to remind the football world, and perhaps the decision-makers on Merseyside, that he is still among the game’s elite.
That drive appears to have permeated the team, with the Pharaohs now three wins away from winning a record-extending eighth AFCON title.
Egypt’s performance was nothing short of spectacular. They only scored three goals in the group stage, but were impressive defensively, conceding just one goal.
In the round of 16, they won 3-1 against Benin, who had a good record, doubling their points.
Despite the scoreline, the performance itself was unconvincing, but the victory extended Egypt’s unbeaten record against African opponents to 14 matches (12 wins, 2 draws).
Coach Hossam Hassan’s side are unbeaten in their last five games, winning four and drawing one, and will be hoping to continue that momentum on Saturday.
Salah has scored half of Egypt’s goals in this tournament and his experience is expected to be crucial when they face Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals, especially given recent injury concerns.
BetKing Betting Tips:
algeria
Algeria are one of only two teams with a 100% winning record in this AFCON, and that perfect record will be put to the test against Nigeria, the only opponent with the same record.
The Desert Warriors had a disastrous result at the last AFCON, finishing last in their group, but this time they have come a long way towards recovery.
Although traditionally known for their attacking quality, what has stood out most so far has been their defensive solidity.
Along with hosts Morocco, they have conceded just one goal and kept three clean sheets throughout the tournament.
Their match against the Democratic Republic of the Congo in the Round of 16 was their toughest challenge to date, but Algeria overcame the situation and won a dramatic 1-0 in extra time, clinching victory with Adil Bourbina’s goal in the 119th minute.
However, the main concern, and the main reason for their lower position on this list, is their growing injury problems.
The fate of midfielder Ismael Bennacer, who was sent off against the Democratic Republic of the Congo, remains in doubt, while Anis Hadji Moussa is expected to miss the remainder of the tournament.
The good news is that Jaouen Hajam, who missed the last two games with an injury sustained against Burkina Faso, could return. However, there are also questions as to whether this poses a risk.
The last AFCON meeting between Algeria and Nigeria is still remembered for Riyad Mahrez’s decisive free-kick, and the winger is once again on a scoring spree, having scored three of Algeria’s seven goals so far.
Algeria may need another similarly inspired performance from their talisman if they are to go all the way.
BetKing Betting Tips:
cameroon
Cameroon, five-time African champions, will face a difficult task when they take on hosts Morocco.
Well, the Indomitable Lions probably don’t entirely agree with that, considering they’ve rarely been upset by opposing fans in this context.
Historically, Cameroon has faced the host nation six times in the finals, losing only once. They lost to Egypt in the 1986 final.
they were defeated.
– Senegal won 1-0 in the 1992 quarterfinals.
– Morocco won 1-0 in the 1988 semi-final.
– Mali won 3-0 in the 2002 semi-finals.
– Ghana won 1-0 in the 2008 semi-finals.
– They famously defeated Nigeria on penalties in the 2000 final after a 2-2 draw.
They have also achieved nine clean sheets in 13 AFCON meetings with the host nation.
– Mari (2002),
– Ghana (2008), and
– Gabon (2017).
Despite spending a lot of time under pressure in this tournament, he advanced to the top eight.
Their average possession rate was the lowest among the quarter-finalists at 43.2%, and in the round of 16 match against South Africa they had just 33.5% possession. This is the lowest number since 2010.
His pass success rate is also below average, ranking 21st with a pass completion rate of 77%. Furthermore, they have only achieved one clean sheet so far.
Despite such numbers, Cameroon’s rich tournament run and attacking threat led by Brian Mbeumo, who created nine chances during the competition, mean they cannot be ignored.
Betting tips:
mali
Mali are the closest representative to the underdog story still alive in this tournament, and the statistics explain why they are at the bottom of this list: they have not yet recorded a victory.
At the same time, they are also undefeated and are clearly framing their campaign so far with optimism. Mali drew all three of their group stage games, scoring two goals and conceding two.
In the Round of 16 match against Tunisia, a dramatic 96th-minute penalty by Rashin Shinayoko sent the match into overtime, but they ultimately won on penalties.
They may lack overall quality compared to most of the other quarter-finalists, but their mental resilience has been a decisive strength.
Mali, who have already held Morocco to a draw in matchday two, will be hoping to maintain a compact and opportunistic approach against Senegal, helping them reach the AFCON finals and potentially claim a historic first title.
