Algeria and the Democratic Republic of the Congo meet at the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations for the first time in 26 years when they clash in the Round of 16 at the Prince Heritier Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat on 6 January 2026. Kick-off is scheduled for 17h00 local time (16h00 GMT).

This will be the third meeting between the sides at AFCON. Their first encounter came at the 1998 finals, when Algeria claimed a 1-0 Group Stage victory, Abdelkader Ferhaoui scoring the only goal in the 36th minute.

They also met at the 2000 edition, opening Group B with a 0-0 draw in Kumasi.

On both previous occasions they have met at AFCON, Algeria progressed from the group stages at the expense of DR Congo. Algeria have also kept a clean sheet in both AFCON meetings between the sides.

In 2000, Algeria advanced as group runners-up behind South Africa, while DR Congo were eliminated after finishing third in the group ahead of Gabon. In 1988, Algeria finished as Group A runners-up behind hosts Morocco.

Overall, the teams have met seven times. Algeria have recorded three wins, while DR Congo are winless, with four matches ending in draws. The last four meetings have all finished level, with the most recent three — all friendlies — ending 1-1. The last Algeria victory in this fixture came at the 1988 AFCON.

Their most recent meeting was a friendly international played in Blida in October 2019. Algeria took the lead in the 6th minute through Islam Slimani before Cédric Bakambu equalised for DR Congo in the 26th minute.

PAST MEETINGS

OVERALLAlgeria: P7 W3 D4 L0 GF10 GA4 GD+6DR Congo: P7 W0 D4 L3 GF4 GA10 GD-6

AFCON ONLYAlgeria: P2 W1 D1 L0 GF1 GA0 GD+1DR Congo: P2 W0 D1 L1 GF0 GA1 GD-1

PAST AFCON MEETINGS1998 – Group Stage – 19 March 1998Algeria 1 (Ferhaoui 36’) DR Congo 0

2000 – Group B – 24 January 2000DR Congo 0 Algeria 0

Algeria – Key Statistics

·       Came through the group stages undefeated, winning all three matches.

·       Scored seven goals in the group stage, conceding just one.

·       Their seven group-stage goals are their highest tally at this phase since scoring 10 in 1990.

·       Won all three group games for the first time since 2019 and for the third time overall, also doing so in 1990.

·       Conceded just one goal in the group stage, their fewest since conceding none in 2019.

·       Their starting XI against Equatorial Guinea had an average age of 25 years and 21 days, their youngest at AFCON since at least 2010.

·       It was also the third-youngest starting XI of the current edition, after Cameroon vs Côte d’Ivoire (24y 258d) and Cameroon vs Gabon (24y 347d).

·       Led Equatorial Guinea 3-0 at half-time, the third occasion Algeria have scored three first-half goals at AFCON, after matches against Malawi in 1984 and Tanzania in 2019.

·       In all three AFCON matches where Algeria have led 3-0 at half-time, that scoreline has remained unchanged at full time.

·       Are unbeaten in their last 15 AFCON matches when scoring first (W10 D5), since a 3-1 defeat to Morocco in the 2004 Quarterfinals.

·       Are the only team to score first in 10 or more AFCON matches since 2010 without losing any of them.

·       Victory would give Algeria four consecutive wins at the same AFCON edition for the third time, after five wins in 1990 and their run in 2019.

·       This is their second Round of 16 appearance, after 2019; they failed to reach this stage in 2021 and 2023.

·       Won their only previous Round of 16 match 3-0 against Guinea in 2019, with goals from Mohamed Belaïli (24’), Riyad Mahrez (57’) and Adam Ounas (82’).

·       Victory would take Algeria to the Quarterfinals for the seventh time (1996, 2000, 2004, 2010, 2015, 2019).

·       Have been involved in five AFCON penalty shoot-outs, winning three and losing two.

·       Defeated Egypt on penalties in the 1980 Semi-finals after a 2-2 draw.

·       Beat Morocco on penalties in the 1988 third-place play-off after a 1-1 draw.

·       Most recent shoot-out win came in the 2019 Quarterfinals against Côte d’Ivoire (1-1 draw, won 4-3 on penalties).

·       Lost penalty shoot-outs to Cameroon in the 1984 Semi-finals and Nigeria in the 1988 Semi-finals.

·       Only one of their last 13 AFCON knockout matches has been decided on penalties.

·       Have played three AFCON matches decided in extra time in open play.

·       Lost a Semi-final to Ghana in 1982 (3-2) after conceding in the 102nd minute.

·       Lost 3-1 to Morocco in extra time in the 2004 Quarterfinals.

·       Defeated Côte d’Ivoire 3-2 after extra time in the 2010 Quarterfinals, with Hameur Bouazza scoring the winner in the 92nd minute.

·       Ibrahim Maza is the first Algerian aged under 21 to feature in all three group matches of an AFCON edition since Nabil Bentaleb in 2015.

·       Maza is also the youngest Algerian to provide an assist at AFCON across the last eight editions.

·       Created four chances against Equatorial Guinea, level with Anis Hadj Moussa, who also made two assists.

·       Has created eight chances in total, the most by any player after the group stage.

·       Scored and assisted in the win over Equatorial Guinea.

·       Fares Chaïbi attempted six shots against Equatorial Guinea, scoring once — the joint-most by an Algerian in a single AFCON match since 2010.

·       Two of Chaïbi’s six shots were on target.

·       Algeria registered all six of their shots on target in the first half against Equatorial Guinea.

·       Himad Abdelli completed 68 passes in that match with a 94.4% success rate.

·       Mehdi Dorval completed all 23 of his passes after coming on as a substitute.

·       Riyad Mahrez has scored three goals at the 2025 AFCON.

·       Another goal would see him become the second Algerian to score four goals in a single AFCON edition, after Djamel Menad in 1990.

·       Mahrez has scored nine AFCON goals in total and is Algeria’s all-time top scorer at the tournament.

DR Congo – Key Statistics

·       Opened with a win over Benin, drew with Senegal and defeated Botswana 3-0 in their final group match.

·       Have completed the group stage unbeaten for the second consecutive AFCON, after also doing so in 2023.

·       Since 2013, have gone unbeaten in the group stage in five of six participations, joint-most alongside Morocco and Mali.

·       Have qualified from the group phase for a fifth consecutive AFCON (2015, 2017, 2019, 2023, 2025).

·       This is their longest run of successive progressions from the group stage.

·       Have scored 99 goals at AFCON; their next goal will be their 100th, making them the eighth team to reach that mark.

·       Are appearing in the Round of 16 for the third time.

·       Progressed past this stage in 2023 and were eliminated in 2019.

·       Both previous Round of 16 matches have been decided on penalties.

·       Drew 2-2 with Madagascar in 2019 before losing 4-2 on penalties after extra time.

·       In 2023, drew 1-1 with Egypt before winning 8-7 on penalties after extra time.

·       Victory would take DR Congo to their 10th Quarterfinal appearance.

·       Have reached the Quarterfinals in 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2002, 2006, 2015, 2017 and 2023.

·       Have been involved in five AFCON penalty shoot-outs, winning three and losing two.

·       Lost on penalties to Madagascar in 2019, defeated Egypt on penalties in 2023 and lost to South Africa on penalties in the 2023 third-place play-off.

·       Won third-place play-off shoot-outs in 1998 and 2015.

·       Victory over Botswana was their fourth AFCON win by a margin of three goals or more.

·       Gaël Kakuta scored twice and assisted once against Botswana, the first DR Congo player to score and assist in the same AFCON match since 2017.

·       Kakuta scored with both of his shots on target in that match.

·       At 34 years and 192 days, Kakuta became the fourth-oldest player to score a brace at AFCON since 2010.

·       Ngal’ayel Mukau completed 69 passes and made nine line-breaking passes in the final third against Botswana, the most in the match.

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