Rabat – Few rivalries at the Africa Cup of Nations are as evenly matched or as emotionally charged as Senegal versus Egypt. When these two giants face off in the semi-final tomorrow in Tangier, it’s about more than just reaching the final. It’s about pride, history, and finally breaking a long-standing deadlock between two of Africa’s most successful teams.
This will be the sixth AFCON meeting between Senegal and Egypt, and so far neither side has been able to pull clear. From their five previous encounters at the tournament, both teams have won twice, with one match ending in a draw.
The history between them stretches back 40 years. It started in 1986 with a 1–0 win for Senegal over the hosts. Egypt managed to edge them out in group matches in 2000 and 2002. The stakes got higher in 2006 when Egypt narrowly won a semi-final game, but Senegal took the biggest prize in the 2021 final, which was officially a draw after extra time. They secured their maiden title after a tense penalty shootout.
When Senegal and Egypt meet, champions are born
A powerful historical stat makes this game even bigger: the team that wins the Senegal vs. Egypt in a knockout match has always gone on to win the whole tournament. Egypt in 2006, Senegal in 2021. This semi-final in Tangier is no different.
The 2021 final saw 120 tense, goalless minutes before Senegal held their nerve in penalties to claim their maiden crown, leaving Egypt heartbroken yet again.
Looking beyond AFCON, though, Egypt hold a slight edge across all competitions, but only just:
- Egypt: 7 wins
- Senegal: 6 wins
- Draws: 2
However, one thing that stands out is that Senegal has dominated the recent high-pressure games. They beat Egypt in the 2021 AFCON final on penalties, and then they did it again in the 2022 World Cup qualifiers, knocking the Pharaohs out in Cairo after another shootout.
SENEGAL VS. EGYPT
MANE VS. SALAHWhat a matchup in the AFCON semifinals 🔥 pic.twitter.com/poxPeCbm3S
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) January 10, 2026
Salah and Mané: a special duel
We can’t talk about a Senegal vs. Egypt match without mentioning Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mané. They were Liverpool teammates and super successful together with that club for years, but their rivalry on the international stage is something else entirely.
Salah has actually played against Senegal five times now and still hasn’t managed to score a goal against them. Mané, on the other hand, has scored once and generally had more success overall. In this current AFCON, both have been crucial playmakers for their teams, with Salah just slightly ahead in efficiency with five goal contributions and four for Mané.
It’s been 20 years since Egypt narrowly beat Senegal in the AFCON semi-finals. Now they meet again for only the second time at this stage. Senegal looks formidable, arriving unbeaten in 16 AFCON games.
Egypt, on the other hand, boast an extraordinary record at this stage. They have reached the final in nine of their previous 13 AFCON semi-finals and have not failed to progress since 1984.
This semi-final is shaping up to be another classic. Tomorrow, one team moves closer to African football immortality.
