The two teams walk out at Grand Stade de Tanger and line up for the national anthems.

Not long until kick-off now.

John Bennett
BBC World Service reporter in Rabat

Image source, Getty Images

In the 14 years that I’ve followed Mohamed Salah’s international career, I don’t think I’ve seen him as happy and content on international duty as he is at this Africa Cup of Nations.

He was saying after the win over Ivory Coast in the Quarter-Finals that he’s been loving the atmosphere around the squad and the fun they’ve been having inside what was the team’s base camp, next to the beach in Agadir. It was very private seemed to allow him to prepare for games without the scrutiny that normally surrounds him at these tournaments.

So this Afcon appears to have come at just the right time for Salah after his difficulties with Arne Slot at Liverpool. The Egypt team has also been improving with every game here in Morocco so he’ll feel that everything might be falling into place for him to win his first ever Afcon title.

Image source, Getty Images

As record seven-time Afcon champions, Egypt are aways under pressure to win, but nobody knows that pressure quite like Mohamed Salah.

He may well be one of Egypt's greatest ever players, but Salah has never won African football's top prize.

Egypt's most recent triumph came in 2010, a year before the Liverpool forward's international debut.

The 33-year-old was a losing finalist at the 2017 and 2021 editions - with those defeats sandwiching a last-16 exit in 2019 on home soil - and he was then injured as Egypt suffered an early exit at the 2023 finals.

"Nobody, even in Egypt, wants to win this trophy more than me," Salah said after helping his team beat Ivory Coast in the quarter-finals.

"I have won almost every prize. This is the title I am waiting for."

As ever we want to hear your thoughts on all things AFCON this evening.

What have you made of the tournament so far? Are there any standout players that have caught your eye? Which teams are you backing to make the final?

Click 'Get Involved' on this page to have your say.

Image source, Getty Images

Group stage

Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe

Egypt 1-0 South Africa

Angola 0-0 Egypt

Round of 16

Egypt 3-1 Benin

Quarter-final

Egypt 3-2 Ivory Coast

Image source, Getty Images

Group stage

Senegal 3-0 Botswana

Senegal 1-1 DR Congo

Benin 0-3 Senegal

Round of 16

Senegal 3-1 Sudan

Quarter-final

Mali 0-1 Senegal

As we count down to kick-off in Tangier, let's remind ourselves of how Senegal and Egypt got to the semi-finals.

Sadio Mane and Mohamed Salah were Liverpool team-mates when Senegal and Egypt last met almost four years ago, but this will be their first time facing each other since Mane left Liverpool for Bayern Munich in the summer of 2022.

The two forwards, both 33, both have impressive records at international level.

Image source, Getty Images

Senegal boss Pape Thiaw has made one change to the starting XI that beat Mali in the quarter-finals - Nicolas Jackson comes in for Habibou Diallo.

Senegal XI: Mendy, Diouf, Niakhate, Koulibaly, Diatta, Pape Gueye, Idrissa Gueye, Diarra, Mane, Jackson, Ndiaye.

Image source, BBC Sport

Hossam Hassan names the same Egypt side that beat Ivory Coast 3-2 in the last round.

Egypt XI: El Shenawy, El Fotouh, Rabia, Ibrahim, Hany, Abdelmaguid, Fathy, Attia, Ashour, Salah, Marmoush.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

If tonight's match goes the distance to a penalty shootout, then Senegal may feel they have a phycological advantage.

After beating Egypt on penalties in the 2021 Afcon final, the Lions of Teranga repeated the feat in the third round of the African qualifiers for the 2022 Fifa World Cup.

After the two-legged play-off tie in March 2022 finished 1-1 on aggregate, Senegal won 3-1 on spot kicks to crush Egypt's World Cup dream.

Image source, Getty Images

Today's first semi-final sees seven-time Afcon champions Egypt take on 2021 winners Senegal in Tangier.

The pair haven't met in this tournament since the 2021 final - played in February 2022 in Cameroon - when Senegal triumphed 4-2 on penalties after a goalless draw.

That victory denied Egypt a record-extending eighth Afcon crown, something they again failed to achieve at the 2023 tournament when they exited at the last-16 stage.

Will the Pharaohs get their revenge tonight?

Hello and welcome to the semi-finals of the Africa Cup of Nations!

What an evening we've got in store.

Four giants of African football remain, with Senegal facing Egypt in Tangier before Nigeria and Morocco meet in Rabat.

There are so many narratives at play tonight, but ultimately only two teams can progress to Sunday's final.

First up - Senegal v Egypt.

This is going to be fun.

Image source, Getty Images