Six months before the opening match, the 2026 FIFA World Cup is the center of the international football world’s attention. But just because the World Cup wait marches on doesn’t mean there’s no international football: Morocco is hosting the Africa Cup of Nations as it prepares to co-host the World Cup in 2030.
For many nations, this tournament is a warmup for next summer’s spectacular in the United States. Two of them will face off at 10 a.m. ET Friday (4 p.m. local) in Agadir on Morocco’s southwestern coast.
Egypt is a -110 favorite to win at DraftKings Sportsbook, and South Africa is +370. There are +215 odds that the teams will draw.
Egypt vs. South Africa prediction, pick
The teams sit tied atop Group B heading into the second day of matches, with each team having pulled off a 2-1 victory in its opening match. The Pharaohs just eked out all three points against lowly Zimbabwe through a 91st-minute Mohamed Salah winner, though they clearly outmatched the more southerly side. Meanwhile, Bafana Bafana played most of the match at 1-1 before Burnley man Lyle Foster added to his earlier assist with a 79th-minute banger into the top right corner. They were expected wins for both sides, but three points virtually assures each team’s qualification, with the two best sides and four best third-place teams in each group advancing to the knockout stages.
With all due respect to Foster, the two best players on the pitch will both don Egyptian reds. Salah’s legacy needs no introduction, but despite a rough domestic season with Liverpool so far, he’s was second in goals in CAF World Cup qualification as the Pharaohs won eight and drew two without a loss to comfortably top an easy group. Marmoush is no slouch either: though he hasn’t played much for a dominant Manchester City side thanks to the presence of Erling Haaland, he just had a 22-goal season combined between City and Eintracht Frankfurt, and he’s still just 26 years old. His goal in the opening match was an absolute screamer into the top of the netting. Defensively, though, Egypt has questions: though it allowed just two goals during CAF World Cup qualification, Al Ahly’s Mohamed El-Shanawy made just 57.1% of his saves in the Club World Cup last summer. Despite dominating the Warriors statistically with 77% possession and 35 shots to eight, the goal Zimbabwe scored was pretty preventable had Pharaohs center back Yasser Ibrahim not slid too early.
It’s hard to imagine Egypt keeping a clean sheet against South Africa, which beat a much more competent side (Angola is ranked 89th by the latest FIFA World Rankings, while Zimbabwe is ranked 129th). While Bafana Bafana’s game was closer — they managed just 58% possession, and each team put four of its 10 shots on target — they’ve proven they can turn the tide at any moment, and they’re capable of building from the back, with Mbekezeli Mbokazi just hitting the crossbar on an audacious attempt from well outside the 18-yard box. Plus, they have lots of chemistry, with most of their defense playing for Mamelodi Sundowns, who very nearly took down Borussia Dortmund and drew with Fluminense in the Club World Cup. South Africa certainly isn’t perfect defensively either, allowing nine corners and making just three interceptions against Palancas Negras, and Ronwen Williams made just 55.6% of his saves during the Club World Cup. Bafana Bafana also allowed nine goals in CAF World Cup qualification, the most of any group winner.
Such is the magic and the volatility of AFCON: each of these teams has so much talent, but each is evidently flawed. Salah’s presence gives Egypt the edge — especially since the Pharaohs are more accustomed to playing in dry Maghrebi conditions — but if Foster can smash a goal home against Altay Bayındır and Sam Johnstone in the Premier League, he can score against El-Shanawy. With so much attacking talent on both rosters, the best bet is that both teams will score…but it’s anyone’s guess as to who will score more.
