AFCON 2025: NFF Sends Strong Message to Morocco Ahead of Semi-final Clash vs Nigeria
- The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sent a strong message to Morocco ahead of the semi-final clash
- The Super Eagles will take on the host nation in the last four of the ongoing 2025 Africa Cup of Nations
- Nigeria defeated Algeria 2-0, while the Atlas Lions dispatched five-time champions Cameroon 2-0
The Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) has sent a strong message to the host nation, Morocco, ahead of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations semi-final.
Nigeria drew Morocco in the semi-final after beating Algeria 2-0 in the quarter-final, and the Atlas Lions defeated the Indomitable Lions of Cameroon by the same scoreline.
Source: Getty Images
According to CAF, the match is scheduled to be played at the 70,000-capacity Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat on Wednesday, January 14, 2026.
Egypt, which defeated defending champions Cote d'Ivoire, and Senegal, which eliminated Mali, will clash in the other semi-final at Grande Stade de Tanger on the same day.
NFF sends strong message to Morocco
The NFF has sent a strongly-worded message published on its official website to the host nation, Morocco, ahead of the semi-final clash on Wednesday.
The statement begins with a strong headline, which states that “Morocco faces exit door”, which sends a message that the Super Eagles are ready to reach consecutive AFCON finals.
NFF opened the statement claiming that the Atlas Lions have “every reason to enter into panic mode”, as they prepare to face the “very efficient Nigerian machine”.
Nigeria boasts of the best attack in the tournament so far. Victor Osimhen has four goals and two assists, Ademola Lookman has three goals and five assists, while Akor Adams has two goals and one assist.
Alex Iwobi in the middle of the park has been an orchestrator, and as noted by Opta Joe, he has made 36 line-breaking passes in the knockout stage so far.
Nigeria’s defence appeared shaky during the group stages, conceding four goals, but it has kept a clean sheet against Mozambique and Algeria.
Super Eagles captain Wilfred Ndidi will miss Wednesday’s match against Morocco after picking up a yellow card against Algeria. Raphael Onyedika will fill his boots on the pitch, and Osimhen will wear the armband.
NFF promised Morocco that the match against Nigeria would be their sternest test since they faced France in the semi-final of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Source: Getty Images
The statement acknowledged Morocco’s key players, including five-goal Brahim Diaz, three-goal Ayoub El Kaabi, captain Achraf Hakimi, Sofyan Amrabat, Ismail Saibari and Azzedine Ounahi.
The last meeting between the two sides at AFCON was in 2004, when Youssef Hadji scored the only goal in the 77th minute to help Morocco win 1-0 in Tunisia.
CAF sends message to Super Eagles
Legit.ng reported that CAF sent a message to the Super Eagles after booking a semi-final date with the host nation, the Atlas Lions of Morocco.
CAF applauds the Super Eagles’ performance against the Desert Foxes of Algeria in the quarter-final as they prepare to face yet another North African team.
Proofreading by Omoleye Omoruyi, copy editor at Legit.ng.
Source: Legit.ng
