The organised chaos of AFCON is in full flow. Where else does one of the most viral stories of the tournament involve a fan who strikes a pose and stands still for the entirety of a game, as is the case with Kuka Muladinga supporting his beloved DR Congo?
On the pitch, we’ve seen a whopping 109 goals in 44 matches (2.48 per game), led by our pre-tournament top scorer pick of Morocco’s Brahim Diaz (4). Plus drama in Tunisia’s Round of 16 penalty defeat to minnows Mali, VAR controversy throughout, Mo Salah’s Egypt limping past Benin in extra time, and no fewer than eight of Africa’s 10 highest-ranked nations all present and correct in the quarter-finals.
A melting pot of footballing madness, turmoil and anarchy awaits, and it’s going to be a cracker as we preview the best AFCON betting tips for the quarter-final games that take place across Friday 9th and Saturday 10th January, 2026.
AFCON Quarter-Final Betting Tips
We’ve run the numbers across the best betting sites and found that BetMGM is best priced, paying 5.38/1 for this 3-fold. To put those odds into context, for every £10 you bet, you would receive £10 more in returns than if you placed the same bet with bet365.
| Game | Market | Odds |
|---|---|---|
| Mali vs Senegal | Senegal to win | 3/5 |
| Cameroon vs Morocco | Brahim Diaz 1+ shot on target | 7/10 |
| Algeria vs Nigeria | Over 2.5 goals | 13/10 |
| Total Odds | 5.38/1 |
*Odds correct at 10:15 GMT on 07/01/2025. Odds subject to change.
Mali vs Senegal – Senegal to Win
Incredibly, Mali have progressed to the quarter-finals without winning a single game in regular or extra time. Each of their three group games ended in a draw, and they took Tunisia to penalties in the Round of 16.
Tom Saintfiet has his team well drilled and they’re hard to beat, but Senegal will be a huge step up. There’s quality throughout with the likes of Sadio Mane, Cherif Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson and Ismaila Sarr. This is a team that should be there or thereabouts for the final.
To Mali’s credit, they’ve been rock solid at the back, and we flirted with the idea of taking the under 2.5 total goals at 8/15. But as good as they are defensively, Senegal are exceptional going forward, scoring 10 in four games, and clearing over 2.5 in three of those.
Therefore, as a bit of insurance from our AFCON stats, we’re taking Senegal to win in regular time at 3/5.
Cameroon vs Morocco – Brahim Diaz 1+ Shot on Target
This looks like a closer game than the bookies have priced it, with Morocco at 3/5, Cameroon at a whopping 6/1, and the draw at 5/2. It would be fair to say that hosts Morocco have been good, not great, thus far.
Their 1-0 win over Tanzania in the Round of 16 was a real grind, similar to their 1-1 draw with Mali in the group stages. Cameroon were comfortable for most of their 2-1 win over South Africa, despite a nervy finish, and they’ll prove stiff opposition if Morocco are to progress.
As a result, we’ve shifted our focus to the player market, specifically the current tournament top scorer, Brahim Diaz. We backed him at the start to do well, and four goals in four games for the Real Madrid forward is proving his class.
Diaz has had seven shots on target so far, and at least one in every game. We don’t hate backing him to score anytime at 12/5, but for the purpose of our acca bet, 7/10 for 1+ shot on target is more than generous.
Algeria vs Nigeria – Over 2.5 Goals
What a game this could be. Both Algeria and Nigeria look in red-hot form, and the winner is going to have a great chance to go all the way. It’s a tie that fans of both teams will be dreading, but as a neutral, it could be a classic.
Over 2.5 goals jumped straight off the page here. Nigeria have scored 12 in four and Algeria eight in four. Osimhen and Lookman have been on fire for the Super Eagles with three apiece, and Riyad Mahrez has been rolling back the years for Algeria, with three goals of his own.
The market is priced at 13/10 for over 2.5 goals, which looks massive. An easy pick and the value bet of the quarter-finals, for sure.
