AFCON 2025 QUARTER-FINALS CONFIRM AFRICA’S BEST ARE STILL STANDING

By: Gyang Dakwo

As the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 enters the quarter-final stage, the tournament has delivered a clear message. Africa’s best teams are still standing, and they have earned their place.

All eight teams in the quarter-finals are ranked among the top 10 African nations in the FIFA rankings. This is the first time in more than 30 years that the last eight at AFCON are made up entirely of the continent’s highest-ranked sides.

The teams left in the competition are Morocco, Senegal, Algeria, Egypt, Nigeria, Ivory Coast, Mali, and Cameroon. Each of them progressed by winning their round of 16 matches, showing control and consistency when it mattered most.

Going into the tournament, Morocco led the African rankings, followed by Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, and Nigeria. Ivory Coast, Mali, and Cameroon were also inside the top 10, and their performances have matched those positions.

One striking feature of this edition of AFCON is the absence of the usual shock results. In previous tournaments, lower-ranked teams often caused major upsets and disrupted the knockout rounds. This time, those surprises have been missing, and the favourites have largely dominated.

That pattern suggests that the remaining teams truly deserve their FIFA rankings. Their quality, discipline, and experience have been evident throughout the competition.

With the quarter-finals now set, fans can expect high-level clashes between established football nations. There are no outsiders left, only big teams chasing the title and pushing African football to its highest standard.