Senegal will take on hosts Morocco in the African Cup of Nations final on Saturday, as the two countries battle for their second crown. Morocco have not won the competition since 1976 and will be keen to win it on home soil, while Senegal will win the title in 2021 and Sadio Mane’s side will be hoping to repeat the feat in Rabat.
Mane will play his final AFCON match tonight and will soon bring his international career to a close. He scored in the semi-final against Egypt, beating former Liverpool teammate Mohamed Salah, proving the 33-year-old is fit for the big moments. However, the team will be without captain Kalidou Koulibaly due to suspension.
Here’s everything you need to know about the AFCON finals…
The grand finale is scheduled for Sunday, January 18, 2026. The match will kick off at 7pm GMT at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco.
How to watch the AFCON finals
E4 will broadcast the match live in the UK. Coverage of this high-profile event is scheduled to begin 30 minutes before game time, at 6:30 p.m.
Viewers in the UK can stream the final live on Channel 4’s website or via the All 4 app. These platforms allow anyone with a valid UK TV license to access the matches for free.
Senegal will face the final without former Chelsea defender Koulibaly. The captain injured his groin in the semi-final win over Egypt and had already received a yellow card for that game, meaning he would have been suspended even if he was fit.
Koulibaly is not the only Senegalese player to be suspended. Sunderland’s Habib Diarra received a second yellow card in the final match against Egypt and was disqualified from playing in the final.
The hosts are likely to be without Azzedine Ounahi, who was ruled out for the remainder of the tournament earlier this month. Romain Saiss is working hard to regain fitness after being injured in the team’s opening game.
Senegal advanced through the group stage and defeated Sudan (3-1) and Mali (1-0) in the first knockout tournament. Mane’s goal in the 78th minute gave them a 1-0 victory over Egypt and a place in the final.
Morocco progressed through Group A, defeating Tanzania (1-0) and Cameroon (2-0) to advance to the semi-finals. After a scoreless draw in extra time, they defeated Nigeria in a thrilling penalty shootout, sealing their place in the final.
Senegal won their first AFCON title in 2021. Morocco, on the other hand, are keen to win their first AFCON since 1976, especially with the advantage of playing at home.
