Egypt vs Benin Prediction 05.01.2026 | Africa Cup of Nations

Record seven-time AFCON champions Egypt cruised through their group-stage campaign with trademark professionalism, comfortably topping Group B after edging past Zimbabwe and South Africa in two tightly contested victories before settling for a goalless draw against Angola on the final matchday.

Despite holding the status of the most decorated national side on the continent, the Pharaohs remain desperate to bring an end to an AFCON title drought that stretches back to 2010, with their most recent chance coming four years ago when they suffered a humbling 4-0 defeat at the hands of Senegal in the final.

Egypt have showcased an impressive balance across the pitch throughout the tournament, underpinned by a miserly back line that has conceded just once in their opening three fixtures, a defensive solidity that is expected to be a key asset as they set their sights on a place in the quarter-finals.

Having already navigated their first two assignments successfully and secured progression to the knockout stages, head coach Hossam Hassan opted to rest star men Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush for the final group encounter, leaving the duo primed to return refreshed and ready to make their mark when it matters most.

For the Benin national team, merely reaching the knockout stages already represents a notable achievement, given their modest history at the Africa Cup of Nations. The Squirrels have featured at the tournament only five times, with their quarter-final appearance in 2019 standing as their best-ever finish, even though that campaign ended without a single victory.

Guided by the experienced German tactician Gernot Rohr, Benin secured their passage to the last-16 as one of the best third-placed teams, thanks largely to a crucial and solitary 1-0 victory over Botswana. That result carried historic weight, marking team’s first-ever win in the tournament proper after 16 previous unsuccessful attempts, and it ultimately proved decisive in extending their stay in the competition.

However, heading into a clash with a heavyweight such as Egypt, there are plenty of reasons for concern within the Benin camp. Their group-stage performances left much to be desired, as they struggled to impose themselves, suffered heavy defeats, and displayed a worrying lack of attacking firepower in the final third. 

As a result, Benin are likely to lean heavily on a compact, disciplined low defensive block while hoping to capitalise on rare counter-attacking opportunities, with Steve Mounie expected to spearhead the attack and make the most of any chances that come their way.