AFCON 2025 is being staged in Morocco in December 2025 and January 2026, and most official listings are published in Central European Time (CET). Viewers in North America, especially on the East Coast, need the fixtures in Eastern Standard Time (EST) to follow group matches, knockout ties, and the final without confusion. Below is a full, reworked match list where every kickoff has been converted from CET (UTC+1) to EST (UTC−5) — a 6-hour difference. Nothing else in the structure of the tournament has been changed: groups, venues, and match order stay the same, only the time zone is adjusted.
1. How the Time Conversion Was Done
- Original match list: CET (UTC+1)
- Required list: EST (UTC−5)
- Conversion rule: CET → EST = CET − 6 hours
Example: a match at 8:00 PM CET becomes 2:00 PM EST on the same day.
2. Group Stage – Full Fixtures in EST
Group A (Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros)
| Date (2025) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 21 | 2:00 PM | Morocco vs Comoros | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat |
| Dec 22 | 9:30 AM | Mali vs Zambia | Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca |
| Dec 26 | 7:00 AM | Morocco vs Mali | Rabat |
| Dec 26 | 9:30 AM | Zambia vs Comoros | Casablanca |
| Dec 29 | 12:30 PM | Zambia vs Morocco | Rabat |
| Dec 29 | 12:30 PM | Comoros vs Mali | Casablanca |
Group A notes: Hosts Morocco open the tournament in mid-afternoon EST, convenient for viewers in New York, Miami, Toronto, and the Caribbean. The decisive double header on Dec 29 is at lunchtime EST.
Group B (Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe)
| Date (2025) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 22 | 12:00 PM | Egypt vs Zimbabwe | Adrar Stadium, Agadir |
| Dec 22 | 2:30 PM | South Africa vs Angola | Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh |
| Dec 26 | 12:00 PM | Egypt vs South Africa | Agadir |
| Dec 26 | 2:30 PM | Angola vs Zimbabwe | Marrakesh |
| Dec 29 | 2:30 PM | Angola vs Egypt | Agadir |
| Dec 29 | 2:30 PM | Zimbabwe vs South Africa | Marrakesh |
Group B notes: This pool is very friendly to East Coast office watchers — almost everything falls between noon and mid-afternoon EST.
Group C (Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania)
| Date (2025) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 23 | 7:00 AM | Nigeria vs Tanzania | Fez Stadium, Fez |
| Dec 23 | 9:30 AM | Tunisia vs Uganda | Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympic Annex, Rabat |
| Dec 27 | 7:00 AM | Nigeria vs Tunisia | Fez |
| Dec 27 | 9:30 AM | Uganda vs Tanzania | Rabat (Annex) |
| Dec 30 | 12:00 PM | Uganda vs Nigeria | Fez |
| Dec 30 | 12:00 PM | Tanzania vs Tunisia | Rabat (Annex) |
Group C notes: Early-morning kickoffs (7:00–9:30 AM EST) dominate here. These are still watchable live before work on the U.S. East Coast.
Group D (Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana)
| Date (2025) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 23 | 12:00 PM | Senegal vs Botswana | Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier |
| Dec 23 | 2:30 PM | DR Congo vs Benin | Al Barid Stadium, Rabat |
| Dec 27 | 12:00 PM | Senegal vs DR Congo | Tangier |
| Dec 27 | 2:30 PM | Benin vs Botswana | Rabat (Al Barid) |
| Dec 30 | 2:30 PM | Benin vs Senegal | Tangier |
| Dec 30 | 2:30 PM | Botswana vs DR Congo | Rabat (Al Barid) |
Group D notes: This is one of the most convenient groups for EST — practically a lunchtime window on every match day.
Group E (Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan)
| Date (2025) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24 | 7:00 AM | Algeria vs Sudan | Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat |
| Dec 24 | 9:30 AM | Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea | Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca |
| Dec 28 | 7:00 AM | Algeria vs Burkina Faso | Rabat (Moulay Hassan) |
| Dec 28 | 9:30 AM | Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan | Casablanca |
| Dec 31 | 12:00 PM | Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria | Rabat (Moulay Hassan) |
| Dec 31 | 12:00 PM | Sudan vs Burkina Faso | Casablanca |
Group E notes: Two early-morning rounds, then a New Year’s Eve lunchtime slot — easy to list on North American sports sites and TV guides.
Group F (Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique)
| Date (2025) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 24 | 12:00 PM | Ivory Coast vs Mozambique | Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh |
| Dec 24 | 2:30 PM | Cameroon vs Gabon | Adrar Stadium, Agadir |
| Dec 28 | 12:00 PM | Ivory Coast vs Cameroon | Marrakesh |
| Dec 28 | 2:30 PM | Gabon vs Mozambique | Agadir |
| Dec 31 | 2:30 PM | Gabon vs Ivory Coast | Marrakesh |
| Dec 31 | 2:30 PM | Mozambique vs Cameroon | Agadir |
Group F notes: Afternoon EST games through the holiday week — excellent for fans following AFCON and end-of-year club football at the same time.
3. Knockout Stage in EST
Round of 16
| Date (2026) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 3 | 12:00 PM | Group D winners vs 3rd B/E/F | Tangier |
| Jan 3 | 2:30 PM | Group A runners-up vs Group C runners-up | Casablanca |
| Jan 4 | 12:00 PM | Group A winners vs 3rd C/D/E | Rabat |
| Jan 4 | 2:30 PM | Group B runners-up vs Group F runners-up | Rabat (Al Barid) |
| Jan 5 | 12:00 PM | Group B winners vs 3rd A/C/D | Agadir |
| Jan 5 | 2:30 PM | Group C winners vs 3rd A/B/F | Fez |
| Jan 6 | 12:00 PM | Group E winners vs Group D runners-up | Rabat (Moulay Hassan) |
| Jan 6 | 2:30 PM | Group F winners vs Group E runners-up | Marrakesh |
Why this matters for EST viewers: these dates fall after New Year, and every game is in a lunch-to-mid-afternoon slot, ideal for work-break viewing or watch parties.
Quarterfinals
| Date (2026) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 9 | 12:00 PM | Winners RO16 2 vs Winners RO16 1 | Tangier |
| Jan 9 | 2:30 PM | Winners RO16 4 vs Winners RO16 3 | Rabat |
| Jan 10 | 12:00 PM | Winners RO16 7 vs Winners RO16 6 | Marrakesh |
| Jan 10 | 2:30 PM | Winners RO16 5 vs Winners RO16 8 | Agadir |
Semifinals
| Date (2026) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 14 | 12:00 PM | Winners QF1 vs Winners QF4 | Tangier |
| Jan 14 | 2:30 PM | Winners QF3 vs Winners QF2 | Rabat |
Third-Place Playoff
| Date (2026) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 17 | 2:00 PM | Losers SF1 vs Losers SF2 | Casablanca |
Final – AFCON 2025 (played in 2026)
| Date (2026) | Time (EST) | Match | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 18 | 2:00 PM | Winners SF1 vs Winners SF2 | Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat |
A mid-afternoon EST final is perfect for broadcasters in the United States and Canada, and it keeps the kickoff accessible for West Africa and Europe as well.
4. Extra Time-Zone Versions and Printable Format
If your audience spans multiple U.S. zones or you run a match-listing site, you can pair this EST page with:
Use this EST version as your base, then link off to the other time-zone pages so visitors can pick the format that fits them.