The Africa Cup of Nations 2025 returns with a historic twist as the 35th edition heads to Morocco for a festive-season spectacle running from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026.
It will be the first time the continent’s biggest football event unfolds during Christmas and New Year, creating an unforgettable month-long football festival.
The opening match will be played on 21 December, with host nation Morocco facing Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
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For the Atlas Lions, the tournament represents their best chance in decades to end a title drought stretching back to 1976.
Ranked as Africa’s highest-placed team heading into the competition, Morocco arrive as overwhelming favourites, backed by a powerful squad and passionate home support.
The title is currently held by former hosts, Cote d’Ivoire who lifted the title on home soil in 2023.
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 Groups
The group-stage draw produced intriguing matchups across all six groups.
Morocco headline Group A where they are Zambia and Comoros. Group F stands out as one of the toughest pools, bringing together defending champions Ivory Coast, traditional giants Cameroon, Sierra Leone and Togo.
Group C also promises fireworks with Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania battling for knockout spots.
The tournament maintains its usual structure of 24 teams, six groups, with the top two in each pool and four best third-placed teams advancing to the round of 16.
Matches will be staged across nine stadia in upgraded six host cities in Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier and Fes. Fans can expect four games almost every day through to the end of December, making it one of the busiest Afcon schedules ever.
The biggest controversy leading up to the tournament has been the player release dates. With Afcon again clashing with the European season, several African coaches including Mali’s Tom Saintfiet expressed frustration, insisting that FIFA’s mandatory 15 December release date denies national teams adequate preparation time.
Despite the scheduling tension, the football promises to be thrilling. Morocco head into the competition as favourites, not only due to home advantage but also because of their impressive form since 2024. Senegal, Ivory Coast, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria and DR Congo also enter as strong contenders in what is always an unpredictable tournament.
Africa Cup of Nations 2025 Full fixtures
Group A
Morocco vs Comoros – 21 December 2025
Mali vs Zambia – 22 December 2025
Morocco vs Zambia – 26 December 2025
Mali vs Comoros – 27 December 2025
Morocco vs Mali – 31 December 2025
Zambia vs Comoros – 31 December 2025
Group B
Senegal vs Namibia – 22 December 2025
Burkina Faso vs South Africa – 23 December 2025
Senegal vs South Africa – 27 December 2025
Burkina Faso vs Namibia – 28 December 2025
Senegal vs Burkina Faso – 1 January 2026
South Africa vs Namibia – 1 January 2026
Group C
Nigeria vs Uganda – 23 December 2025
Tunisia vs Tanzania – 24 December 2025
Nigeria vs Tanzania – 28 December 2025
Tunisia vs Uganda – 29 December 2025
Nigeria vs Tunisia – 2 January 2026
Uganda vs Tanzania – 2 January 2026
Group D
Egypt vs Cape Verde – 24 December 2025
Algeria vs Mauritania – 25 December 2025
Egypt vs Mauritania – 29 December 2025
Algeria vs Cape Verde – 30 December 2025
Egypt vs Algeria – 3 January 2026
Cape Verde vs Mauritania – 3 January 2026
Group E
DR Congo vs Guinea – 25 December 2025
Ghana vs Equatorial Guinea – 26 December 2025
DR Congo vs Equatorial Guinea – 30 December 2025
Ghana vs Guinea – 31 December 2025
DR Congo vs Ghana – 4 January 2026
Guinea vs Equatorial Guinea – 4 January 2026
Group F
Ivory Coast vs Togo – 26 December 2025
Cameroon vs Sierra Leone – 27 December 2025
Ivory Coast vs Sierra Leone – 31 December 2025
Cameroon vs Togo – 1 January 2026
Ivory Coast vs Cameroon – 5 January 2026
Sierra Leone vs Togo – 5 January 2026