RABAT — Nigeria is bidding for a fourth CAF Africa Cup of Nations title as they take on hosts Morocco, who is seeking their first continental title since 1976, in the semi-finals of the 2025 AFCON. The highly anticipated clash will be staged at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on January 14, with kick-off set for 20:00 GMT.

 Both teams are undefeated with Nigeria winning all five of their games, while Morocco have recorded four wins and a draw.

They meet at the Africa Cup of Nations for the sixth time, with all five previous AFCON meetings producing a winner.

This is their first meeting in 22 years at AFCON and the second time they face each other in an AFCON Semi-final.

Four of their previous five AFCON meetings came in the group stages in 1976 (two games), 2000 and 2004.

They first met at AFCON in 1976 in the group stages, with Morocco winning both matches 3-1 and 2-1 on their way to their first and only title.

This is their second meeting in the Semi-finals. Nigeria won the previous clash in 1980, triumphing 1-0 with Felix Owolabi scoring the winner in the 9th minute en route to their first title.

They met again in 2000 when Nigeria eliminated Morocco in their final Group D game with a 2-0 victory, with Finidi George and Julius Aghahowa scoring for the Super Eagles.

Their last AFCON meeting came in the group stages in 2004, when Morocco won 1-0 in their opening Group D match, Youssef Hadji scoring the only goal in the 77th minute.

Nigeria has faced the host or co-host nation on ten previous occasions, with their record against hosts reading P10 W3 D3 L4.

Nigeria meets AFCON hosts for a second tournament in a row, having faced Côte d’Ivoire in the group stages and the final in 2023, winning 1-0 in the group stage and losing 2-1 in the final.

Nigeria also defeated tournament hosts in 2002, winning the third-place match against Mali 1-0, and recorded a group-stage win over Senegal in 1992 by a 2-1 scoreline.

Nigeria has lost four times against hosts: twice against Algeria in 1990 (group stage and final), as well as defeats to Ghana in the 2008 Quarter-finals and Côte d’Ivoire in the 2023 Final.

Nigeria has drawn three times against hosts: in 1978 against Ghana, in 2002 against Mali in the group stages, and in 2004 against Tunisia in the Semi-finals (1-1), before losing on penalties.

In the knockout rounds at AFCON, Nigeria have faced hosts five times, winning only once against Mali in the 2002 third-place match.

They have lost three times in open play against Algeria in the 1990 Final, Ghana in the 2008 Quarter-finals and Côte d’Ivoire in the 2023 Final, and lost on penalties to Tunisia in 2004.

This is Nigeria’s third direct knockout match against a host team, having previously lost to Tunisia on penalties in the 2004 Semi-finals and to Ghana in the 2008 Quarter-finals.

Overall, this is their 12th meeting, with Morocco holding the upper hand with six wins to Nigeria’s three, with two draws.

Both draws ended 0-0 and came in qualification for the 1984 AFCON in the second round over two legs, with Nigeria progressing after winning a penalty shoot-out following a goalless aggregate.

Seven of the 11 goals scored in their previous five AFCON meetings have come in the second half.

Morocco booked their place in the AFCON 2025 semi-finals with a narrow 1-0 win over Cameroon, reaching the last four for the first time since 2004. It was only their second quarter-final victory in five attempts and lifted their overall AFCON goal tally to 96.

The Atlas Lions are featuring in the AFCON semi-finals for the fifth time—and the second as hosts—but have managed just one win from their previous three appearances at this stage.

All three of Morocco’s semi-final exits came by 1-0 margins, including defeat to hosts Nigeria in 1980, with each conqueror going on to lift the trophy.

Victory here would send Morocco into their second AFCON final and their first in over two decades, making them the second consecutive hosts—and the 15th overall—to reach the final.

Under Walid Regragui, Morocco is contesting their second major semi-final, with a win set to book a third senior CAF final in under a year.