Morocco Set to Host 2025 AFCON, With 24 Teams Competing for the Title
Morocco is preparing to host a grand celebration of African football for the second time since 1988, when only eight teams competed. This time, however, 24 teams will battle it out for the prestigious AFCON title.
The opening ceremony is expected to be a star-studded event, with legendary African football figures such as Egypt’s Essam El Hadary, Cameroon’s Patrick Mboma, Tunisia’s Aymen Mathlouthi, and Ivory Coast’s Gervinho in attendance. The event will also feature a major music show, with top artists like Morocco’s Hatim Ammor, Congolese star Maître Gims, and the renowned Moroccan music producer RedOne among the performers.
On Saturday, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) unveiled the official logo for the 2025 AFCON, which beautifully incorporates Morocco’s cultural heritage. The logo showcases the AFCON trophy covered in zellige, a traditional Moroccan mosaic art.
Tournament Structure and Draw
The 24 qualified teams will be divided into four pots based on their FIFA rankings, as follows:
- Pot 1: Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Côte d’Ivoire
- Pot 2: Cameroon, Mali, Tunisia, South Africa, DR Congo, Burkina Faso
- Pot 3: Gabon, Angola, Zambia, Uganda, Equatorial Guinea, Benin
- Pot 4: Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana
During the draw, these teams will be placed into six groups of four. The top two teams from each group, along with the four best third-placed teams, will progress to the knockout stage.
Historical AFCON Success
Egypt is the most successful nation in AFCON history, having won the tournament seven times. Côte d’Ivoire, the defending champions, has claimed the trophy three times. Cameroon has lifted the AFCON title five times, while Nigeria and Algeria have each won it three and two times, respectively.
Morocco, which is hosting the tournament, has one AFCON title to its name, which they won in 1976. At that time, the tournament format was different, with no knockout stage. Instead, the top four teams from the first round progressed to a final group stage, where each team played the others, and the team with the most points was crowned champion.
The 2025 AFCON promises to be a thrilling tournament with many exciting moments ahead!
