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Rabat- Tunisia start their AFCON 2025 campaign with a Group C match against Uganda at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympic Annex Stadium in Rabat.
The Carthage Eagles bring plenty of experience to the tournament, making their 22nd tournament appearance and 17th consecutive AFCON, the longest streak of any nation. Uganda, meanwhile, return to the main tournament for the eighth time, their first appearance since 2019.
The 2004 African champions are on a hot streak right now. They recently held Brazil to a draw in a November friendly and are riding high after an incredible World Cup 2026 qualifying campaign. They broke records by becoming the first team ever to qualify without letting in a single goal across 10 matches
Group C also features Nigeria and Tanzania, who face each other earlier in the day.
The Carthage Eagles are the favorite in their group with Nigeria and will want to start strongly in this opening match. Uganda look for an upset.
Match details
- Fixture: Tunisia vs. Uganda
- Competition: Africa Cup of Nations 2025 — Group C (Matchday 1)
- Venue: Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympic Annex Stadium, Rabat (Morocco)
- Date: Tuesday, 23 December 2025
- Kick-off: 21:00 GMT +1
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How & Where to watch
The match will be broadcast live on beIN Sports Mena MAX, Arryadia, SuperSport and Canal+ Afrique.
Tunisia team news
The Carthage Eagles have a strong history in North Africa, winning the AFCON in 2004 and finishing runners-up in 1965 and 1996. They also reached the semi-finals as recently as 2019. Off the field, Tunisia has built consistency under coach Sami Trabelsi, who previously led the team at the 2012 and 2013 tournaments, winning both opening matches during his tenure.
But Tunisia has struggled in opening matches at recent AFCONs. They haven’t won their first game in the last five tournaments, drawing two and losing three, with their last opening victory coming in 2013 against Algeria.
Overall, their recent AFCON form has been mixed in previous years and they have only won two of their last ten AFCON matches, often by narrow margins. The squad has tactical discipline and technical quality but they must overcome the pressures that have affected their starts in previous tournaments.
On the pitch, Tunisia’s strengths are controlling possession, managing the game’s tempo, and making the most of set-piece opportunities. If they can play a high-tempo passing game early, they can exploit space behind opponents’ defenses and turn dead-ball situations into goals. The big question is whether Tunisia can combine their experience with attacking play to finally reverse their opening-match struggles.
Tunisia enter this match as the clear favorite. They have a perfect record against Uganda, winning all five previous meetings with a total score of 16–1. The Carthage Eagles should dominate possession and control the pace of the game. Their balance of structure and creativity will be key as they aim to impose themselves from the start.
Predicted XI for Tunisia (4–3–3): Dahmen; Abdi, Bronn, Talbi, Valery; Mejbri, Skhiri, Sassi; Saad, Mastouri, Sliti.
Uganda team news
The Cranes have a proud history, finishing as runners-up in 1978. However, they have often struggled in opening matches at AFCON, losing five of their seven first games. Their only recent opening win came in 2019 against DR Congo, which is also their only victory in the last eight AFCON matches. Progressing beyond the group stage has been rare, only happening in 1978 and 2019, which shows the tough challenge they face against a strong Tunisian side.
Under head coach Paul Put, now at his fourth AFCON, Uganda should focus on strong defensive organization and quick counterattacks. Put’s previous tournaments with Burkina Faso and Guinea show he prefers disciplined setups that absorb pressure and exploit opponent mistakes.
Uganda’s success will rely on keeping a compact defense, exploiting space behind Tunisia’s advancing full-backs and making the most of set-piece opportunities. Breaking Tunisia’s experience and technical quality will be difficult, but the Cranes’ resilience and counter-attacking threat give them a chance to create opportunities .
Predicted XI for Uganda (4–2–3–1): Salim; Kayondo, Obita, Capradossi, Sibbick; Semakula, Aucho; Ssemugabi, Okello, Mato; Mukawala.
- Score prediction: Tunisia 3–1 Uganda.
