Cameroon have won only one of their last five meetings with Côte d'Ivoire but this was their most recent encounter, a 1-0 win in Douala during World Cup qualifying four years ago, a key result as the Indomitable Lions made it to Qatar while les Éléphants did not.
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon preview
Two true African heavyweight go head-to-head in a match fit to be a final, but this is merely a group stage encounter, so who will book their place in the knockout phase in Marrakesh?
Both began their respective Africa Cup of Nations campaigns with 1-0 wins on Christmas Eve. Firstly, Côte d'Ivoire downed Mozambique 1-0 in torrential rain, with Amad the only scorer. Ivory Coast are, of course, reigning Africa Cup of Nations champions, beating Nigeria 2-1 in the final in Abidjan on home soil, bookending a chaotic campaign.
Les Éléphants sacked manager Jean-Louis Gasset mid-tournament, following a 4-0 defeat to Equatorial Guinea seemingly cemented their elimination. Nevertheless, they snuck through as a best-ranked third place side, before ousting Senegal on penalties, Mali in the last minute of extra time and then DR Congo 1-0 before victory in the final. That was Côte d'Ivoire's third Cup of Nations title, with Emerse Faé's team thereby seeking to retain the trophy, so can they pick up a statement win here?
Cameroon were also 1-0 winners on Christmas Eve; Karl Etta Eyong's goal after just six minutes enough to defeat Gabon in Agādīr. Les Lions Indomptables are five-times AFCON winners, while their eight World Cup appearances is the most of any African nation, but they are not at the peak of their powers just now.
Following defeat to DR Congo in a World Cup play-off last month, manager Marc Brys was sacked by federation president Samuel Eto'o on the eve of this tournament, after the Belgian had submitted a bizarre squad to CAF, with a few notable omissions. In Cup of Nations terms, Cameroon did win this competition as recently as 2017, defeated in the semi-finals as hosts by Egypt on penalties five years later, before crashing out in the round of 16 against Nigeria last year. Thus, both are capable of deep runs at this tournament, but who will come out on top at Marrakesh Stadium?
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon head-to-head record
- Matches Played: 21.
- Côte d'Ivoire Wins: 10. Draws: 2. Cameroon Wins: 9.
Ivory Coast team news
Emerse Faé's side contains plenty of talent, including Odilon Kossounou and Evan Ndicka at centre-back, as well as midfield trio Jean Michaël Seri, Ibrahim Sangaré and captain Franck Kessié.
In attack, having not played a single minute of international football for over two years beforehand, Wilfried Zaha was a surprise starter against Mozambique, likely to keep his place alongside RB Leipzig teen sensation Yan Diomandé.
Côte d'Ivoire predicted lineup vs Cameroon: (4-3-3): Fofana; Doué, Ndicka, Kossounou, Konan; Seri, Sangaré, Kessié; Amad, Zaha, Diomandé.
Ivory Coast player to watch vs Cameroon
Amad is yet to regularly sparkle at international level, scoring just his third goal for les Éléphants on Wednesday, but will this be a breakout tournament for the Manchester United star?
Cameroon team news
As already alluded to, Cameroon are without André Onana, Jackson Tchatchoua, Michael Ngadeu-Ngadjui, Jean-Charles Castelletto, André-Frank Zambo Anguissa, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and 2022 AFCON golden boot winner Vincent Aboubakar for this tournament.
In terms of who will feature for David Pagou, Devis Epassy will be the number one goalkeeper, with Carlos Baleba of Brighton a key figure at the base of midfield. Karl Etta Eyong has scored six La Liga goals for the side bottom of the table Levante this season so, after bagging the winner against Gabon, will his stock continue to rise?
Cameroon predicted lineup vs Côte d'Ivoire: (3-5-2): Epassy; Malone, Kotto, Nouhou; Tchamadeu, Avom, Baleba, Namaso, Yongwa; Mbeumo, Etta Eyong.
Cameroon player to watch vs Ivory Coast
In the battle of the Manchester United wingers, Bryan Mbeumo has scored seven times for Cameroon to date, seeking his first at a Cup of Nations here.
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon prediction
We cannot seperate these two powerhouses of African football, so we're forecasting a draw at Marrakesh Stadium on Sunday, one that probably suits everybody: Ivory Coast 1-1 Cameroon.
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon FAQs - Africa Cup of Nations
How to watch Ivory Coast vs Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations on TV channel?
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations will be available on the following TV channels;
- UK: 4seven
- USA: beIN SPORTS, fuboTV & Fanatiz USA
- Canada: beIN Sports Canada, fuboTV Canada & Fanatiz Canada
How to watch Ivory Coast vs Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations on live streaming?
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations will be available on the following streaming services;
- UK: Channel4.com & Channel 4 Sport YouTube
- USA: beIN SPORTS CONNECT & fuboTV
- Canada: beIN SPORTS CONNECT Canada & fuboTV Canada
What is the date and kick-off time for Ivory Coast vs Cameroon in the Africa Cup of Nations?
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon takes place on Sunday 28 December 2025, with kick off at 20:00 (GMT), 15:00 (ET) & 12:00 (PT).