Surprises at AFCON 2025: World Cup teams eliminated early

South Africa and Tunisia secured their World Cup spots but were eliminated in the first round of the continental tournament playoffs.

AFCON 2025 once again confirmed why it is one of the most unpredictable tournaments in international football. Beyond talent and pedigree, the African championship does not forgive mistakes and can eliminate even teams that have proven their strength on other stages. This was the case for South Africa and Tunisia, two teams that had already secured World Cup qualification but failed to advance past the first round of the continental tournament’s playoffs.

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South Africa had shown great promise after their strong performance on the road to the World Cup, but AFCON 2025 was a reality check. Tactical discipline was not enough to make up for their lack of goals in the “do-or-die” matches. The Bafana Bafana missed too many chances, and Cameroon, far more clinical in the opponent’s box, showed no mercy in sending them home earlier than expected.

Tunisia recorded another disappointing AFCON campaign with an early exit that few had expected. The Tunisian team failed to translate their international experience into dominance on the field; instead, their cautious approach and occasional mistakes cost them dearly. Their executioner was Mali, which, despite reaching the knockout stage without having won a single match in regular time, showed greater composure in the penalty shootout. For the fans of the “Carthage Eagles,” seeing their team eliminated by an opponent that hadn’t won in regulation was a hard blow to digest.

The contrast between success in the World Cup qualifiers and failure in the AFCON highlights the unique characteristics of African football. The short tournament format, physical intensity, climatic conditions, and parity among teams make every match feel like a final.

AFCON 2025 once again showed that prestige and past achievements do not guarantee results. For South Africa and Tunisia, the challenge will be to learn from this experience and enter the World Cup stronger, while Africa celebrates a tournament that continues to defy expectations and raise the competitiveness of the continent.