The Africa Cup of Nations, commonly known as AFCON is Africa’s premier international football tournament. The competition is organized by CAF and it features 24 national teams. The AFCON 2025 is scheduled to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, bringing continental football to the festive season.
AFCON 2025 is the 35th edition of Africa’s biggest men’s football competition. Due to changes in the global football calendar, the tournament will be played in December and January, hosted by Morocco. This makes it one of the most unique editions in AFCON history. Track the African Cup of Nations standings, players, fixtures, previews and teams on SportPesa blog.
ALSO READ: Morocco vs Comoros Prediction: AFCON 25 Preview, Team News, Key Stats & H2H
Brief history of the Africa Cup of Nations competition
The Africa Cup of Nations began in 1957 as a small tournament with only a few teams. The tournament was created to unite African nations through football and competition. Over the years, AFCON expanded in size, quality, and gained global attention. Today, AFCON is Africa’s top football event and a major international tournament.
Previous winners year by year in details
This list shows all the winners and runners-up since the establishment of the Africa Cup of Nations.
| Year | Winner | Runner-up |
| 1957 | Egypt | Ethiopia |
| 1959 | Egypt | Sudan |
| 1962 | Ethiopia | Egypt |
| 1963 | Ghana | Sudan |
| 1965 | Ghana | Tunisia |
| 1968 | DR Congo | Ghana |
| 1970 | Sudan | Ghana |
| 1972 | Congo | Mali |
| 1974 | DR Congo | Zambia |
| 1976 | Morocco | Guinea |
| 1978 | Ghana | Uganda |
| 1980 | Nigeria | Algeria |
| 1982 | Ghana | Libya |
| 1984 | Cameroon | Nigeria |
| 1986 | Egypt | Cameroon |
| 1988 | Cameroon | Nigeria |
| 1990 | Algeria | Nigeria |
| 1992 | Ivory Coast | Ghana |
| 1994 | Nigeria | Zambia |
| 1996 | South Africa | Tunisia |
| 1998 | Egypt | South Africa |
| 2000 | Cameroon | Nigeria |
| 2002 | Cameroon | Senegal |
| 2004 | Tunisia | Morocco |
| 2006 | Egypt | Ivory Coast |
| 2008 | Egypt | Cameroon |
| 2010 | Egypt | Ghana |
| 2012 | Zambia | Ivory Coast |
| 2013 | Nigeria | Burkina Faso |
| 2015 | Ivory Coast | Ghana |
| 2017 | Cameroon | Egypt |
| 2019 | Algeria | Senegal |
| 2021 | Senegal | Egypt |
| 2023 | Ivory Coast | Nigeria |
What is the AFCON format in 2025?
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations will feature 24 teams. These teams are divided into six groups of four. Each team plays three group matches. The top two teams from each group and the best four third-placed teams then advance to the knockout stage until the final.
2025 AFCON schedule
This table shows all the upcoming AFCON fixtures including group stage and knockout stage fixtures.
| Fixture / Stage | Date | Time (GMT / Local) |
| Group Stage | ||
| Morocco vs Comoros (Group A) | Sun, 21 Dec 2025 | 19:00 |
| Mali vs Zambia (Group A) | Mon, 22 Dec 2025 | 14:30 |
| South Africa vs Angola (Group B) | Mon, 22 Dec 2025 | 17:00 |
| Egypt vs Zimbabwe (Group B) | Mon, 22 Dec 2025 | 20:00 |
| Nigeria vs Tanzania (Group C) | Tue, 23 Dec 2025 | 12:00 |
| Tunisia vs Uganda (Group C) | Tue, 23 Dec 2025 | 14:30 |
| DR Congo vs Benin (Group D) | Tue, 23 Dec 2025 | 17:00 |
| Senegal vs Botswana (Group D) | Tue, 23 Dec 2025 | 19:30 |
| Algeria vs Sudan (Group E) | Wed, 24 Dec 2025 | 12:00 |
| Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea (Group E) | Wed, 24 Dec 2025 | 14:30 |
| Ivory Coast vs Mozambique (Group F) | Wed, 24 Dec 2025 | 17:00 |
| Cameroon vs Gabon (Group F) | Wed, 24 Dec 2025 | 19:30 |
| Morocco vs Mali (Group A) | Fri, 26 Dec 2025 | 12:00 |
| Zambia vs Comoros (Group A) | Fri, 26 Dec 2025 | 14:30 |
| Angola vs Zimbabwe (Group B) | Fri, 26 Dec 2025 | 12:30 |
| Egypt vs South Africa (Group B) | Fri, 26 Dec 2025 | 15:00 |
| Uganda vs Tanzania (Group C) | Sat, 27 Dec 2025 | 12:30 |
| Nigeria vs Tunisia (Group C) | Sat, 27 Dec 2025 | 14:30 |
| Benin vs Botswana (Group D) | Sat, 27 Dec 2025 | 12:30 |
| Senegal vs DR Congo (Group D) | Sat, 27 Dec 2025 | 15:00 |
| Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan (Group E) | Sun, 28 Dec 2025 | 15:00 |
| Algeria vs Burkina Faso (Group E) | Sun, 28 Dec 2025 | 17:30 |
| Gabon vs Mozambique (Group F) | Sun, 28 Dec 2025 | 12:30 |
| Ivory Coast vs Cameroon (Group F) | Sun, 28 Dec 2025 | 20:00 |
| Comoros vs Mali (Group A) | Mon, 29 Dec 2025 | 19:00 |
| Zambia vs Morocco (Group A) | Mon, 29 Dec 2025 | 19:00 |
| Angola vs Egypt (Group B) | Mon, 29 Dec 2025 | 16:00 |
| Zimbabwe vs South Africa (Group B) | Mon, 29 Dec 2025 | 16:00 |
| Tanzania vs Tunisia (Group C) | Tue, 30 Dec 2025 | 16:00 |
| Uganda vs Nigeria (Group C) | Tue, 30 Dec 2025 | 16:00 |
| Benin vs Senegal (Group D) | Tue, 30 Dec 2025 | 19:00 |
| Botswana vs DR Congo (Group D) | Tue, 30 Dec 2025 | 19:00 |
| Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria (Group E) | Wed, 31 Dec 2025 | 16:00 |
| Sudan vs Burkina Faso (Group E) | Wed, 31 Dec 2025 | 16:00 |
| Gabon vs Ivory Coast (Group F) | Wed, 31 Dec 2025 | 19:00 |
| Mozambique vs Cameroon (Group F) | Wed, 31 Dec 2025 | 19:00 |
| Round of 16 | ||
| Match 1 | Sat, 3 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Match 2 | Sat, 3 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Match 3 | Sun, 4 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Match 4 | Sun, 4 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Match 5 | Mon, 5 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Match 6 | Mon, 5 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Match 7 | Tue, 6 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Match 8 | Tue, 6 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Quarter-finals | ||
| QF 1 | Fri, 9 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| QF 2 | Fri, 9 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| QF 3 | Sat, 10 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| QF 4 | Sat, 10 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Semi-finals | ||
| SF 1 | Wed, 14 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| SF 2 | Wed, 14 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Third Place Play-off | Sat, 17 Jan 2026 | TBC |
| Final | Sun, 18 Jan 2026 | TBCAFC |
Where to buy AFCON 2025 tickets?
Tickets for AFCON 2025 are sold only through CAF’s official ticketing platform. Fans must first apply for a Fan ID before purchasing tickets. This system helps control access and improve security. Here at SportPesa, we always advise fans to avoid unofficial sellers.
AFCON 2025 Venues
These are the venues that will host the 2025 AFCON matches.
| Stadium | City | Capacity |
| Ibn Batouta Stadium | Tangier | 75,000 |
| Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium | Rabat | 68,700 |
| Mohammed V Stadium | Casablanca | 45,000 |
| Marrakesh Stadium | Marrakesh | 45,240 |
| Fez Stadium | Fez | 45,000 |
| Adrar Stadium | Agadir | 45,480 |
| Moulay Hassan Stadium | Rabat | 22,000 |
| Prince Moulay Abdellah Annex | Rabat | 21,000 |
| Al Barid Stadium | Rabat | 18,000 |
AFCON 2025 Groups
The 2025 AFCON groups balance experienced teams with emerging nations. Every group has strong contenders as seen below.
| AFCON 2025 Groups | Teams |
| Group A | Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros |
| Group B | Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe |
| Group C | Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania |
| Group D | Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana |
| Group E | Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan |
| Group F | Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique |
Records and stats
Egypt is the most successful nation in AFCON history having won 7 titles. This SportPesa hub keeps you updated on all football tournaments stats, points, goals and losses. Follow your favourite team’s goals, points, losses, draws and stats in the 2025 African Cup of Nations on SportPesa.
AFCON 2025 Sponsors
These are the official AFCON sponsors for the 2025 edition.
| Sponsor |
| TotalEnergies |
| Orange |
| Puma |
| 1xBet |
| Pepsi |
| Visa |
Broadcasting
The 2025 Africa cup will be broadcasted in these channels.
| Country / Region | TV Channel | Streaming Platform |
| Kenya | KBC, Azam, SuperSport | DSTV App |
| Tanzania | TBC, Azam, SuperSport | DSTV App |
| South Africa | SABC Sport, SuperSport | DSTV App |
| Nigeria | NTA, SuperSport, AFRO Sport | DSTV App, AFRO Sport |
| United Kingdom (UK) | BBC Three, Sky Sport, CANAL+ | Channel 4, YouTube |
| USA | beIN SPORTS | beIN SPORTS CONNECT |
| France | beIN SPORTS | MyCANAL |
| Brazil | Band | Yet to be confirmed |
| Global | DAZN | DAZN, beIN SPORTS CONNECT |
Latest AFCON 2025 news
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is underway in Morocco, running from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026 with 24 teams competing across nine host stadiums. There has been some criticism about the tournament’s timing over the Christmas and New Year period, with coaches and officials saying teams have too little preparation time. Morocco, as host and one of the favourites alongside Ivory Coast, Egypt and Senegal, is aiming to capture its first AFCON title in decades and deliver a memorable event. Fans from across Africa are arriving early, and broadcasters have expanded coverage so supporters worldwide can follow the action.
ALSO READ: Full list of 32 Premier League Stars expected to light up AFCON 2025
FAQs about AFCON 2025
Who will host AFCON 2025?
AFCON 2025 will be hosted by Morocco, with matches being played in 9 modern stadiums across 6 major cities in the country.
Who will host AFCON in 2027?
The Africa Cup of Nations in 2027 will be jointly hosted by Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania. This is the first time East Africa will host the tournament together.
Which teams will qualify for AFCON 2025?
These are all the 24 teams that qualified for the 2025 AFCON group stage.
- Morocco (hosts)
- Ivory Coast (defending champions)
- Egypt
- South Africa
- Angola
- Zimbabwe
- Nigeria
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Tanzania
- Senegal
- DR Congo
- Benin
- Botswana
- Algeria
- Burkina Faso
- Equatorial Guinea
- Sudan
- Cameroon
- Gabon
- Mali
- Zambia
- Comoros
- Ghana
Which Premier League players go to AFCON?
| Club | Players |
| Liverpool | Mohamed Salah |
| Manchester City | Erling Haaland, Riyad Mahrez, Ilkay Gündogan |
| Arsenal | Thomas Partey, Nicolas Pépé, Bukayo Saka |
| Manchester United | Fred, Anthony Martial, Axel Tuanzebe |
| Tottenham Hotspur | Son Heung-min, Yves Bissouma, Dele Alli |
| Chelsea | Hakim Ziyech, Kalidou Koulibaly, Raheem Sterling |
| Brighton & Hove Albion | Alexis Mac Allister, Carlos Baleba |
| Brentford | Frank Onyeka, Dango Ouattara |
| Burnley | Axel Tuanzebe, Lyle Foster, Hannibal Mejbri |
| Everton | Dominic Calvert-Lewin, Abdoulaye Doucouré |
| Fulham | Tosin Adarabioyo, João Palhinha |
| Crystal Palace | Wilfried Zaha, Eberechi Eze |
| West Ham United | Michail Antonio, Nayef Aguerd |
| Wolverhampton Wanderers | Rúben Neves, Pedro Neto |
| Sunderland | Six players called up (names TBD) |
Conclusion
AFCON 2025 will bring together Africa’s top national teams in Morocco for a competitive tournament. Fans can follow all AFCON fixtures and table, group updates, and results throughout the tournament on SportPesa. This season, top Premier League players and across Africa will showcase their skills on the continental stage. Stay tuned for the latest news, standings, and highlights from the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.
ALSO READ: What is the AFCON 2025 prize money and how much does the Champion earn?