The African Cup of Nations kicks off this Sunday in Morocco, and Ivory Coast will be looking to defend its 2023 championship title. However, the journey won’t be easy, as numerous emerging teams are anticipated to pose a significant challenge, given that no nation has won the tournament, the highest accolade in African football, since Egypt’s three consecutive victories from 2006 to 2010.
This year’s tournament features 24 competing teams and will culminate with the final at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on January 18. The format expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 2019, and while most major European clubs will be missing key players during the group stages due to this timing, the winter break means they may only lose their stars for one or two games. This scenario will be particularly beneficial for teams like Sunderland, who are coping with six players absent for the tournament.
Looking ahead, AFCON will take place in the summer in 2027 to mitigate the issue of player availability, but with the Club World Cup scheduled for 2029, subsequent editions will revert to winter alignments to fit with the global football calendar.
Tournament Format
Morocco automatically qualified as the host, while the remaining 23 teams had to navigate through a qualifying tournament. Notably, World Cup entrants like Cape Verde didn’t make the cut for AFCON, finishing last in their group. Ghana also missed out for the first time since 2004, despite representing CAF in the upcoming 2026 World Cup.
In the tournament, the top two teams from each group will move on to the Round of 16, along with the four best third-placed teams. In the event of a tie, several tiebreakers come into play, including head-to-head points and goal differences.
Key Players to Watch
Mohamed Salah, representing Egypt, is set to be a standout figure as he heads to AFCON while speculation swirls about his future at Liverpool after the transfer window opens post-group stages. Below are some notable players by their leagues:
- Premier League: Mohamed Salah (Liverpool/Egypt), Michail Antonio (West Ham/Jamaica), and more.
- Bundesliga: Nicholas Jackson (Bayern Munich/Cameroon) and others.
- La Liga: Nicolas Pepe (Villarreal/Ivory Coast).
- Serie A: Ademola Lookman (Atalanta/Nigeria).
- Türkiye Super Lig: Victor Osimhen (Galatasaray/Nigeria).
Group Standings
Group A
- Comoros
- Mali
- Morocco
- Zambia
Group B
- Angola
- Egypt
- South Africa
- Zimbabwe
Group C
- Nigeria
- Tanzania
- Tunisia
- Uganda
Group D
- Benin
- Botswana
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Senegal
Group E
- Algeria
- Burkina Faso
- Equatorial Guinea
- Sudan
Group F
- Cameroon
- Gabon
- Ivory Coast
- Mozambique
How to Watch
All matches of the tournament can be streamed live on Fubo (offering a free trial for new users).
AFCON Schedule
Group Stage Matches:
- December 21: Morocco vs. Comoros at 2 p.m.
- December 22: Mali vs. Zambia at 9 a.m.; Egypt vs. Zimbabwe at 8 p.m.
- Full schedule continues through December 31, leading into knockout rounds from January 3-18.
Fan Take: The African Cup of Nations is not just a tournament; it embodies the spirit and passion of African football. For fans, witnessing the rise of up-and-coming teams and stars like Mohamed Salah could reshape the landscape of the sport for years to come.
