AFCON 2025: Africa’s Football Giants Set for a Continental Showdown

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) returns with familiar passion, fierce rivalries, and continental pride as Africa’s finest football nations prepare to battle for supremacy.

Sanctioned by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and officially branded the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations, AFCON remains the biggest and most prestigious men’s international football tournament on the continent. Held every two years, the competition is more than football it is a celebration of African identity, resilience, and unity.

Tournament Overview

The next AFCON tournament is scheduled to run from Sunday, December 21, 2025, to Sunday, January 18, 2026, with Ivory Coast entering as the defending champions, eager to prove their dominance once again after their historic triumph.

Matchday Highlights

The opening round of fixtures promises fireworks as traditional heavyweights and emerging nations clash:

1. Morocco vs Comoros – Sun, 21 Dec
2. Mali vs Zambia – Mon, 22 Dec
3. South Africa vs Angola – Mon, 22 Dec
4. Egypt vs Zimbabwe – Mon, 22 Dec
5. DR Congo vs Benin – Tue, 23 Dec
6. Senegal vs Botswana – Tue, 23 Dec
7. Nigeria vs Tanzania – Tue, 23 Dec
8. Tunisia vs Uganda – Tue, 23 Dec
9. Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea – Wed, 24 Dec (15:30)
10. Algeria vs Sudan – Wed, 24 Dec
11. Ivory Coast vs Mozambique – Wed, 24 Dec
12. Cameroon vs Gabon – Wed, 24 Dec

From North African tacticians like Morocco, Egypt, and Tunisia, to West African powerhouses Nigeria, Senegal, Ghana, and Ivory Coast, and determined underdogs such as Uganda, Comoros, Botswana, and Tanzania, AFCON once again offers a stage where reputations are tested and heroes are born.

More Than a Trophy

AFCON is not just about lifting silverware it is about national pride, street celebrations, heartbreaks, and moments that unite millions across the continent and the diaspora. Each kick of the ball carries the hopes of a nation.

As the countdown begins, Africa braces itself for another unforgettable football festival where legends rise, giants fall, and history is written.