Mali and Tunisia renew a familiar Africa Cup of Nations rivalry on Saturday when they meet in the Round of 16 of the AFCON Morocco 2025 at Casablanca’s Stade Mohammed V.
Kick-off is at 8 pm, with both sides arriving as runners-up from their respective groups,Mali from Group A and Tunisia from Group C.
It will be the 16th meeting between the two nations, with Tunisia holding a narrow overall advantage, winning seven of the previous 15 encounters to Mali’s five, alongside three draws. But AFCON history tells a different story.
The Eagles are unbeaten in four previous AFCON meetings with the Carthage Eagles, winning twice and drawing twice, although all of those encounters came in the group stage. Saturday’s clash marks their first-ever knockout meeting at the finals.
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This fixture has become a regular feature at recent tournaments, with the teams facing off at four consecutive AFCON editions, 2019, 2021, 2023 and now 2025, after first meeting at the finals back in 1994.
Mali memorably beat Tunisia 2–0 in that 1994 opener, a result that helped them progress while the hosts exited early. Subsequent meetings have been tighter: a 1–1 draw in 2019, a 1–0 Mali win via an Ibrahima Koné penalty in 2021, and another 1–1 stalemate at the 2023 finals that saw Mali advance and Tunisia eliminated.
The numbers underline Mali’s confidence heading into the tie. They have scored in all four AFCON meetings with Tunisia, opened the scoring each time, and kept clean sheets in their two victories. Three of their five AFCON goals against Tunisia have come before half-time, a period that has produced the majority of goals in this rivalry.
With knockout football raising the stakes and Tunisia eager to rewrite recent history, Saturday’s contest promises tension, familiarity, and fine margins as both sides chase a place in the quarter-finals.
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