The stage is set for the commencement of Africa’s biggest football event, the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025), with 24 teams competing for the continent’s most prestigious sporting title. AFCON 2025 will be hosted by Morocco, a second time for the North African nation, and will run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

Since the competition began in 1957, analysts say it has become the barometer for gauging African teams’ performance. The usual packed stadiums of passionate fans fuel a sense of identity and nationalism. This was true for Egypt – the winners of the first tournament in 1957- and Cote d’Ivoire, the 2024 champions.

This edition is the first time the tournament will be played over the Christmas and New Year period. The schedule was shifted to avoid conflicting with the expanded FIFA Club World Cup in June and July 2025.

This year’s tournament will see teams from six groups face off in highly anticipated encounters, with the host nation opening the competition with a group stage clash against Comoros.