Senegal closing in on AFCON title ahead of May’s Allstate Continental Clásico against USMNT
Les Lions de la Teranga to battle Morocco in 2025 AFCON Final this weekend before facing USMNT in May
Before the U.S. Men’s National Team faces Nicholas Jackson, Pape Matar Sarr, Sadio Mané and FIFA World Cup-qualified Senegal in May’s Allstate Continental Clásico in Charlotte, N.C., Les Lions de la Teranga have a massive opportunity ahead of them this weekend.
Senegal is set to take on hosts Morocco in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Final on Sunday (2 p.m. ET, beIN Sports), as the pair of rivals battle for continental supremacy in Rabat. AFCON is Africa’s premier national team competition, and this year’s final will feature a pair of FIFA World Cup-qualified opponents both positioned in the top 20 of FIFA’s Men’s World Ranking.
In the midst of a true footballing renaissance, Senegal has advanced to the AFCON Final three times across the last four editions of the biennial tournament, winning the competition for the first time in 2021. This year, Senegal topped Group D through a pair of 3-0 victories against Botswana and Benin and a 1-1 draw against Congo DR. Les Lions de la Teranga blitzed through the knockout rounds, dispatching Sudan in the Round of 16, downing Mali in the Quarterfinals and outlasting Mohammed Salah’s Egypt through a late Sadio Mané winner in the second half of the Semifinal.
The 2025 AFCON Final currently represents Senegal’s final competitive match before facing the United States in Charlotte’s Bank of America Stadium in the Allstate Continental Clásico on May 31. Notably, Senegal’s current roster features a trio of teammates of USMNT players at the club level; Folarin Balogun’s AS Monaco FC teammates Krépin Diatta and Lamine Camara have contributed to their nation’s unbeaten AFCON run, while Tanner Tessmann’s Olympique Lyonnais teammate and defender Moussa Niakhaté has helped Senegal concede just two goals across six 2025 AFCON matches.
Win or lose on Sunday, Senegal will provide the USMNT with a valuable test in its penultimate match ahead of the 2026 FIFA World Cup on home soil. Tickets are on sale now and can be purchased here. Kickoff for the Allstate Continental Clásico from Bank of America Stadium is set for Sunday, May 31 at 3:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on TBS, HBO Max, Universo and Peacock. The match will be carried live on radio, as Westwood One Sports delivers English language commentary and Fútbol de Primera will have the Spanish language call.