African Nations Championship AFCON

The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is set to take place in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. Originally scheduled for summer, the tournament was postponed due to a calendar clash with FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup.

Morocco was confirmed as host after Guinea was stripped of its hosting rights.

2025/26 African Nations Championship Standings Table

Data provided by Scoreaxis

2025/26 African Nations Championship Top Scorers

League data by Scoreaxis

Fixtures, Results And Live Scores

African Nations Championship live

2025/26 AFCON Key Dates & Format

Stage Date
Group Stage 21 Dec 2025 – late Jan 2026
Round of 16 TBC
Quarter-finals TBC
Semi-finals TBC
Final 18 January 2026

  • AFCON will be held across nine stadiums in six Moroccan cities including Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Agadir, and Marrakesh.

  • The tournament opens on 21 December with the final concluding on 18 January 2026.

AFCON Qualification Highlights

  • Ivory Coast and Equatorial Guinea secured their spots without playing, supported by head-to-head results and group performance. | Reuters

  • The qualification process involved a preliminary round in March 2024, followed by group stage matches from September to November 2024, featuring 52 nations. Morocco, as host, qualified automatically.

African Nations Championship Group Stage Matchups

Some of the standout group fixtures include:

  • Group A: Morocco vs Comoros; Mali vs Zambia—all on 21 December 2025, in Rabat and Casablanca.

  • Group B: Egypt vs Zimbabwe & South Africa vs Angola on 22 December, in Agadir and Marrakesh.

  • Groups C–F: Involve key teams like Nigeria, Senegal, Algeria, Côte d’Ivoire.

(Note: Local times listed above; be sure to convert to UTC or your preferred timezone when displaying on your blog.)

Fan Commentary

“The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is just around the corner, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most exciting tournaments yet!” – Fan sentiment from Morocco on Reddit.

Why It Matters

  • Unique Timing: This edition will stretch over the festive season, spanning Christmas and New Year—an unusual scheduling but a compelling storyline.

  • Strategic Importance: Serves as a high-stakes opportunity for African nations to showcase domestic talent globally.

  • Host Boost: Morocco aims to capitalize on home advantage and tourism exposure—especially after securing hosting rights unexpectedly.

[bzscore data-2=”league” league-is=”African Nations Championship” country-is=”CAF”]