The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations heats up on Christmas Eve as Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea in the opening match of Group E. With heavyweights Algeria and Sudan also in the group, both sides know that a positive start in Casablanca is crucial for their knockout stage ambitions.
The Stallions of Burkina Faso enter as favorites, boasting a squad packed with top-tier European experience, while the Nzalang Nacional of Equatorial Guinea will look to recapture the underdog magic that saw them shock the continent in previous tournaments.
Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea – Date, Time, Predictions, and More
Burkina Faso kick off their AFCON Group E journey against Equatorial Guinea in Casablanca. On paper, they’re the higher-ranked team, blending seasoned pros with new talent, while Equatorial Guinea counts on a tight, well-drilled side and a handful of experienced forwards to threaten on the counter. It’s likely to be a tense, low-scoring opener where any early slip-ups could prove costly.
| Match | Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea |
|---|---|
| Competition | CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 — Group E |
| Date | Wednesday, December 24, 2025 |
| Kick-off | 13:30 local / 12:30 GMT |
| Venue | Stade Mohammed V, Casablanca |
| All competitions Form | Burkina Faso: W D W W W W Equatorial Guinea: W L L D W L |
Team News & Form
Burkina Faso
Coach Brama Traoré named a balanced 25-man squad combining experienced internationals (Edmond Tapsoba, Bertrand Traoré) with younger additions and several debutants. The final pre-tournament updates report no major injury concerns, and the coach appears likely to select an attack-minded 3-4-3 or 4-2-3-1 formation.
- Key Absences/Notes: The squad is relatively healthy. Traoré has made a bold call by including eight tournament debutants, including left-backs Abdoul Ayindé (Genk) and Arsène Kouassi (Lorient), looking to inject freshness into the defense.
- Player to Watch: Edmond Tapsoba (Bayer Leverkusen) is the defensive anchor, but all eyes will be on Dango Ouattara (Brentford/Bournemouth) and Bertrand Traoré (Sunderland) to provide the creative spark. Stéphane Aziz Ki comes into the tournament in fine form for Wydad Casablanca and will be playing in his club’s home city.
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea heads into the tournament with a seasoned core led by Emilio Nsue and Iban Salvador. Their CAF squad announcement features returning veterans alongside a mix of domestic and overseas players, with no last-minute injuries reported. Previews suggest they’ll likely adopt a compact setup built on solid defensive organization and swift counterattacks.
- Key Absences/Notes: The team relies heavily on its experienced core. Emilio Nsue, the AFCON 2023 Golden Boot winner, remains the talismanic figure upfront despite his age.
- Player to Watch: Saúl Coco (Torino) is the rock at the back. His ability to marshal the defense against Burkina Faso’s pacey wingers will be the deciding factor in this match. Goalkeeper Jesús Owono often performs heroics in this tournament and will likely be busy.
- Recent Form: Poor. Winless in their last two warm-up games and struggling to keep clean sheets in competitive qualifiers earlier in the year (e.g., losses to Tunisia and Malawi).
Head-to-Head
- The two sides have met only a few times in recent years: Burkina Faso has 1 win, Equatorial Guinea has 0 wins, and there have been 2 draws in the last three meetings. Historically, Burkina has held the small edge.
Recent Form
Burkina Faso put in strong performances during the 2025 qualifiers and friendlies, displaying solid defensive organization under Traoré. They secured second place in Group A of the 2026 FIFA World Cup African qualifiers but ultimately missed out on a spot in the tournament.
Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea Probable Starting XI
Burkina Faso (4-2-3-1)
- Koffi (GK); Nasser Djiga, Issa Nagalo, Edmond Tapsoba; Pierre-Landry Kabore, Ibrahim Blati Touré, Ismahila Ouédraogo, Abdoul Ayindé; Dango Ouattara, Lassina Traoré, Bertrand Traoré.
Equatorial Guinea (4-3-3)
- Owono (GK); Akapo, Pedro Obiang (or Obiang), Saul Coco; Senra, Marc Mascarell, Pedro Obiang (mid), Ndong; Emilio Nsue, Iban Salvador, Josete (or Josete Miranda).
Match Prediction
Burkina Faso possesses superior individual quality, particularly in wide areas where Dango Ouattara and Bertrand Traoré can stretch the Equatorial Guinea defense. The Nzalang Nacional thrive on disrupting rhythm and counter-attacking, but their recent lack of goals (zero scored in their last two matches) is alarming.
Expect a tight first half as Equatorial Guinea sits deep, but Burkina Faso’s quality should eventually break the deadlock.
- Prediction: Burkina Faso 2 – 0 Equatorial Guinea
Where to watch Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea
AFCON broadcast rights differ by region, with many areas showing the tournament on beIN Sports or local free-to-air channels. Streaming and TV guides list it on Channel 4 in the UK, beIN in the US, FanCode in India, and SuperSport across Africa, among others.
- UK / Europe: Check CAF / local sports broadcasters (Channel listings vary by country).
- USA: beIN Sports commonly holds African football rights — check local providers and streaming partners.
- Global: CAF/AFCON official broadcast lists and local broadcasters — confirm via CAF’s match centre.