By Kunle Solaja.
History will be made on Friday in Marrakech when the Africa Cup of Nations stages its first-ever Boxing Day fixture, marking another unprecedented milestone in a tournament already redefining its own traditions.
Angola’s Group encounter with Zimbabwe will not only restart action after a rare Christmas Day pause but will also enter the records as the first Africa Cup of Nations match to be played on December 26. It will be the 789th match in the competition’s 68-year history, adding a new chapter to Africa’s premier football tournament.
The significance of the occasion is heightened by the fact that this edition of the Africa Cup of Nations is itself historic — the first to kick off in December and the first to stretch across two calendar years, with the final scheduled for January.
Despite that shift, the Confederation of African Football deliberately avoided scheduling any match on December 25, ensuring that Boxing Day, rather than Christmas Day, becomes the tournament’s festive landmark.
The stage was set on Wednesday night in Agadir, where Cameroon’s 1–0 victory over Gabon concluded all first-round group stage matches. That result cleared the way for the tournament to roll into its next phase, with Boxing Day serving as the symbolic restart.
The Angola–Zimbabwe match in Marrakech will headline a busy day of four fixtures across Morocco. Following the historic opener, Egypt will face South Africa in Agadir, Zambia will take on Comoros in Casablanca, and hosts Morocco will close the day with a high-profile clash against Mali in Rabat.
For players and fans alike, Boxing Day football — a tradition long associated with European leagues — now finds a place in African football’s biggest competition. The scheduling reflects both the evolving global calendar of the Africa Cup of Nations and its growing alignment with international football rhythms, while still preserving its distinct continental identity.
As the tournament moves beyond the group stage, the first Boxing Day fixture stands as a reminder that Morocco 2025 is not just about chasing the trophy but also about reshaping the historical landscape of African football.
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