The Egyptian national team secured a place in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after defeating South Africa 1-0 in the second round of the group stage.
Coach Hossam Hassan’s squad had narrowly defeated Zimbabwe 2-1 in the first round, and now they have achieved their second victory, officially guaranteeing Egypt’s qualification as group winners regardless of the outcome of the third round.
Egypt’s lone goal came from a Mohamed Salah penalty kick in the first minute of the first half, which was followed by a red card for Mohamed Hany, forcing the Pharaohs to play the entire second half with 10 men.
The brilliance of Mohamed El Shenawy, the resilience of the Egyptian defense, and Mohamed Salah’s outstanding performance secured the three points for the Nile Valley and, consequently, the top spot in the group, eliminating the need for a win or a draw against Angola next Monday.
So, who will be Egypt’s opponent in the Round of 16 of the Africa Cup of Nations? Let’s find out now.
Who are Egypt’s potential opponents in the Round of 16 of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations?
With the increased number of participating teams since the 2019 edition in Egypt, the usual way of determining opponents in the Round of 16 has changed significantly.
As for Egypt, having already secured first place in their group, they will face one of the third-placed teams from Group A, Group C, or Group D.
This means that one of the following teams will be Egypt’s next opponent: Morocco, Mali, Comoros, or Zambia; Tunisia, Nigeria, Tanzania, or Uganda; or Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, or Botswana.
Ultimately, the match will depend on which of the four best third-placed teams qualifies and their final ranking.
Egypt’s path in the quarterfinals will cross with the winner of Group F (Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, or Mozambique) and the runner-up of Group E (Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, or Sudan).
