The Africa Cup of Nations 2025 continues with a pivotal Group A encounter between Mali and Zambia at the Al-Medina Stadium in Morocco. Kick-off is scheduled for 2pm GMT on Monday, 22 December 2025.
Team News and Key Absences
Mali will be without their captain, Tottenham Hotspur's Yves Bissouma, who is still recovering from ankle surgery. Despite his absence, head coach Tom Saintfiet remains optimistic about the midfielder's potential involvement later in the tournament. Mali's hopes will rest on influential players like RB Leipzig's Amadou Haidara, who starts today's match on the bench.
Zambia, the 2012 champions, enter this match with a point to prove. They have not won an Afcon match since lifting the trophy over a decade ago, drawing seven of their last nine group games and failing to progress to the knockout stages in recent tournaments.
Confirmed Starting Lineups
The teams have been announced for this afternoon's fixture. Mali's starting eleven includes Diarra in goal, with a defensive line of W. Coulibaly, Diaby, M. Fofana, and Dante. Their attack will be led by Sinayoko.
Zambia, under pressure to break their winless streak, start with Mwanza between the posts. Their lineup features the likes of F. Sakala, L. Musonda, and striker Patson Daka, who will be crucial to their attacking ambitions.
Tournament Context and Viewing Details
This match follows the tournament opener, where Morocco secured a victory over Comoros thanks to a stunning strike from El Kaabi. In a significant development for the competition, it was recently announced that the Africa Cup of Nations will move to a four-year cycle from 2025 onwards.
For viewers in the United Kingdom, the match is being broadcast on channel 4Seven, with coverage beginning at 1.55pm GMT. The build-up has seen interesting stories emerge, including features on Tanzania's English-born players and an interview with Senegal's Lamine Camara, who has labelled his nation as favourites for the title.
All eyes will be on whether Zambia can rediscover their winning form or if Mali's squad depth will prove too strong in this opening Group A battle.
