Egypt Set For Blockbuster AFCON Quarterfinal Against Cote d’Ivoire

Egypt’s route to the AFCON semi-finals has been locked in for a heavyweight quarter-final against defending champions Cote d’Ivoire.

Cote d’Ivoire swept aside Burkina Faso in the round of 16. The Ivorians’ win was built on an impressive display by Manchester United winger Amad Diallo, who opened the scoring and assisted the second before half-time.

For Egypt, the tie is the next test of a knockout run that has already been tough. The Pharaohs edged Benin 3–1 after extra time in the round of 16. Following a long-range strike from Marwan Attia, Egypt needed a looping header from Yasser Ibrahim and a late breakaway finish from Mohamed Salah in extra time to qualify.

Beyond the immediate stakes, the matchup carries history. Egypt and Cote d’Ivoire will face each other for the 12th time in the AFCON. Egypt has a strong track record, having won all five of its knockout matches against the Ivorians, including three victories decided by penalty shootouts.

However, Hossam Hassan’s preparation is complicated by injury concerns, especially at left-back. Mohamed Hamdy was forced off against Benin after suffering an ACL injury early in the match.

If Egypt plans to manage risk and win the moments, Cote d’Ivoire arrive as the kind of opponent that can punish even brief lapses. Diallo has been one of the tournament’s standout attackers, scoring three times and assisting once so far in the AFCON.

The quarter-final is scheduled for Saturday, 10 January 2026, in Agadir, with kick-off at 21:00.