African Cup of Nations 2025: Format, Teams, Favorites and Tournament Guide
From December 21 to January 18, the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations will take place in Morocco. Initially, the tournament was planned for the summer, but due to the new format of the Club World Cup, it was moved to winter. Therefore, African football stars have traditionally left their clubs to join their national teams and compete for the continent's main trophy! Let's get acquainted with the tournament, which will compete for viewers' attention with club football over the next month. There will definitely be plenty to watch!
Event Details
The Africa Cup of Nations, unlike the European Championship or the Asian Cup, is held every two years. Interestingly, in the last eight editions, the tournament has seen seven different winners. Only the Ivory Coast national team has managed to succeed twice.
As mentioned, the upcoming AFCON will be held in Morocco. A total of 52 matches are scheduled, to be hosted by nine stadiums. For the first time in history, the African continental championship will take place during the winter holidays – Christmas and New Year. It is also worth noting that there will be no debutants in this Africa Cup.
Format
24 teams are divided into six groups, where they will play one match against each opponent. The two strongest teams from each group, as well as the four best third-placed teams, will advance to the Round of 16. This means the tournament will end at the group stage for eight teams. The final will take place on January 18 in Morocco's capital, Rabat, at the brand-new 70,000-seat "Prince Moulay Abdellah" stadium, which opened in September of this year.
Who Won't We See?
Cape Verde
The Cape Verde national team sensationally qualified for the 2025 World Cup, finishing first in their qualifying group with Cameroon. However, they will not be at the Africa Cup. Bubista's squad failed in the qualifiers, finishing last in their group. There are no big names in the "Blue Sharks" lineup, but it's still a shame to lose such a unique team.
Ghana
Much more surprising is the absence of the Ghana national team – a truly star-studded team. This summer, we will enjoy watching the Ghanaians on North American fields during the World Cup, but they will not be in Morocco. Inaki Williams (Athletic Bilbao), Thomas Partey (Villarreal), Mohammed Kudus (Tottenham), Antoine Semenyo (Bournemouth) – all these top players did not help the "Black Stars" qualify for the continental championship.
Top Five Favorites
Morocco (odds to win: 3.5)
The bookmakers see the hosts as the main contenders for the trophy. The last time the team won the tournament was back in 1976, but right now it is indeed the most formidable African national team. They finished 4th at the World Cup in Qatar, and surprisingly exited the last AFCON in the Round of 16. Besides the home advantage, a whole array of stars should help coach Walid Regragui achieve the long-awaited triumph: Achraf Hakimi (PSG), Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid), Noussair Mazraoui (Manchester United), Youssef En-Nesyri (Fenerbahce), and others. However, excessive pressure might be a hindrance, as in the 21st century, only two host teams have managed to win the tournament.
Egypt (odds to win: 6.5)
The Egyptians remain one of the main forces on the continent. They hold a record number of AFCON victories (7). Naturally, the team's main hopes are pinned on the best African footballer of recent years, Mohamed Salah. However, the Liverpool Pharaoh has yet to lead the national team to victory. Egypt's last win was in 2010. Currently, Salah is far from his best form, but there is another Premier League star in the attack – Omar Marmoush. Apart from these two, the Egyptian squad does not boast many big names.
Algeria (odds to win: 7)
Unlike the Egyptians, the Algerians won not so long ago, in 2019. That was their second title. However, in the last two tournaments, the "Desert Foxes" failed, finishing last in their group, something they cannot afford to repeat. The team will be led to success by head coach Vladimir Petkovic and the ever-present captain Riyad Mahrez (Al-Ahli). The former Man City player is already 34 years old, so it's possible this Africa Cup of Nations will be his last. Young talents like Rayan Ait-Nouri (Man City), Fares Chaibi (Eintracht), Anis Hadj-Moussa (Feyenoord), and others are expected to make it triumphant. Interestingly, one of the goalkeepers listed is Luca Zidane (Granada) – the son of the legendary French midfielder.
Senegal (odds to win: 7)
The "Lions of Teranga" vividly remember the feeling of lifting the trophy. In the final match against Egypt in 2021, Sadio Mane (Al-Nassr) missed a penalty during regular time but scored the winning goal in the shootout. Since then, the squad has become even stronger. Experienced leaders like Kalidou Koulibaly (Al-Hilal) and Idrissa Gueye (Everton) are still in the lineup, and young stars have emerged. This primarily refers to Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) and Nicolas Jackson (Bayern). Senegal's squad is one of the best in the tournament.
Nigeria (odds to win: 10)
Nigeria is among the major teams that haven't won the Africa Cup of Nations for a long time. The last time was in 2013, when none of the current leaders were in the squad. Special hopes are placed on Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray), Ademola Lookman (Atalanta), Samuel Chukwueze, and Alex Iwobi (both – Fulham). In 2021, these guys were one step away from winning the trophy, losing to Ivory Coast in the final (1:2). Overall, the "Super Eagles" are the most consistent team on the continent. They have reached the semifinals more often than any other team in history (16 times), but have only won three times. There will be no lack of motivation in Morocco, especially since the Nigerians did not qualify for the World Cup.
Dark Horses
Ivory Coast (odds to win: 12)
Of course, the Ivorians, the reigning champions, should be highlighted first. In 2023, they hosted an incredible home tournament, during which they changed their coach, barely made it out of the group stage in third place, and ultimately, against all odds, claimed their third trophy. The mastermind behind that sensation, Emers Fae, is still in charge of the national team, and the main players remain the same – Franck Kessié (Al-Ahli) and Sébastien Haller (Utrecht). The veteran lineup is set to be refreshed by Amad Diallo from Manchester United.
Cameroon (odds to win: 17)
Of course, we cannot overlook the scandalous Cameroon. The national team is in complete disarray. They failed to qualify for the World Cup, and the feuding Marc Brice (head coach) and Samuel Eto’o (head of the federation) submitted two separate squad lists for the Africa Cup of Nations – each their own. Regardless, the leaders of the “Indomitable Lions” will be Premier League stars – Carlos Baleba (Brighton) and Bryan Mbeumo (Manchester United), while the controversial André Onana from Trabzonspor did not make the squad.
South Africa (odds to win: 40)
The bronze medalists of the previous edition cannot be ignored, as Hugo Broos' team is not slowing down. We will see them at the World Cup, but first, let's see what the “boys” can do here in Morocco. This is a very solid team, although there are no stars in the lineup. The most notable player is Lyle Foster from Burnley.
DR Congo (odds to win: 50)
The Congolese finished fourth in the last tournament, losing to the South Africans, and are once again aiming to compete for medals. Their last Africa Cup of Nations victory was over fifty years ago, but they can now boast a strong squad. There are as many as four Premier League representatives here – Axel Tuanzebe (Burnley), Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham), Arthur Masuaku, and Noah Sadiki (both Sunderland).
Gabon (odds to win: 81)
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's dream was shattered – Gabon's national team will not be heading to the World Cup in America. However, the veteran has a chance to make them continental championship medalists for the first time. The “Panthers” confidently passed the qualification and intend to make some noise on Moroccan stadiums. They focus on team play, as there are few standout individuals in the team. Apart from the aforementioned forward from Marseille, the wider audience might recognize Mario Lemina (Galatasaray), who has played in the French and English leagues.
Conclusion
Of course, these are not all the teams we would like to talk about. It's impossible to fit everyone into one article, but we tried to cover the most interesting ones. You can follow the other national teams and the entire tournament on Scores24. Our team will provide predictions for all AFCON 2025 games: from the opening match to the final. We are confident that the Africa Cup of Nations will once again offer the football world many emotional games and unexpected outcomes. Stay with us so you don't miss anything!
