Sudan lost to Senegal 3-1 in the quarter-finals of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in their Round of 16 clash on Saturday, 3 January 2026 as the 35th edition of the tournament continues in Casablanca, Morocco.
Sudan made a fast start, taking the lead in the 6th minute through Amer Abdullah. However, Senegal responded with Papa Gueye scoring twice in the 29th minute and 45+3 minutes to turn the match around. Ibrahim Mbaye sealed the win with a third goal in the 77th minute.
Unbelievable from Aamir Abdallah. The @1xBet_Eng Goal of the Day! 🤩🇸🇩#TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 pic.twitter.com/urYcNZDGud
— TotalEnergies AFCON 2025 (@CAF_Online) January 4, 2026
The victory made Senegal the first team to reach the quarter-finals, topping Group D with seven points. Sudan, who finished third in Group E with three points behind Algeria (nine points) and Burkina Faso (six points).
Sudan made history at AFCON 2025
Sudan has now been eliminated from the tournament, but the country made history at AFCON 2025. Sudan became the first nation to reach the quarter-finals via an own goal, following a dramatic 1–0 victory over Equatorial Guinea in their Group E match on 28 December. The decisive moment came in the second half when a dangerous Sudanese cross forced centre-back Saúl Coco into a desperate clearance, sending the ball into his own net. The goal proved enough to secure Sudan’s first vital win of the tournament, with the match remaining finely balanced until the breakthrough. The solitary strike sparked wild celebrations among players and fans and marked Sudan’s first AFCON victory in more than a decade.
🚨 𝗥𝗘𝗖𝗢𝗥𝗗: Sudan have become the 𝗙𝗜𝗥𝗦𝗧 𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗜𝗡 𝗛𝗜𝗦𝗧𝗢𝗥𝗬 to qualify for the AFCON Round of 16 without scoring a single goal. 🤯❌🇸🇩
— Football Tweet ⚽ (@Footballtweet) January 1, 2026
Their only goal came from an… own goal. 😭 pic.twitter.com/gu233QWegg
For players representing a nation facing immense challenges at home, the team has become a symbol of defiance. The victory marked Sudan’s first at the AFCON since 2012. Although Sudan won the tournament in 1970, this was just their second win in 18 matches across six AFCON appearances since then. Ranked 117th in the FIFA standings, the result stands as a rare and resonant triumph.
The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 is taking place in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
🇸🇩 Respect to Sudan 🇸🇩
— Micky Jnr (@MickyJnr__) January 3, 2026
AFCON 2025 may not have gone their way but Sudan showed courage and resilience every step of the way.
Consider what they achieved and a team without a domestic league at home, forced to travel, adapt and join leagues abroad just to stay competitive.… pic.twitter.com/YgZN7EA94G
The incredible feats this 🇸🇩 Sudan team have achieved under Kwasi Appiah is nothing short of incredible.
— Owuraku Ampofo (@_owurakuampofo) January 3, 2026
Reaching the CHAN semifinals, winning their first AFCON game since 2012 and making the knockout rounds.
Their effort should be applauded, pride of a nation. pic.twitter.com/5OUzTJKXUz
History of Sudan football
Sudan first formed its football federation in 1936, joined FIFA 12 years later in 1948 and Confederation of African Football (CAF) in 1957. The country had a very good period of success from the late 1950s to the early 1970s, hosting the first-ever AFCON in 1957 and winning third place in the tournament, in which only four countries participated. Sudan took the runner-up position in 1959 and 1967, and claimed its only tournament championship in 1970. Despite this early period of success, Sudan’s national side hasn’t won much since. It has never qualified to the World Cup, and also struggled to qualify to AFCON over the years. The national team recent qualifications for AFCON 2025 and FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025™ show signs of a resurrection.
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