The 35th Africa Cup of Nations will commence in Morocco on 21 December 2025, after being rescheduled from mid-2025. The change in schedule was required to avoid clash with the expanded Club World Cup, shifting the tournament to the December-January period. A total of 24 nations will take part, with the final scheduled for 18 January 2026.
Qualification was divided into a preliminary round (20–26 March 2024) followed by a group stage (September–November 2024). Final qualification was based on standard group format, with 24 nations advancing to the finals.
Most of the expected favourites qualified comfortably; however, some traditional powers missed out while others returned after absences.
The defending champions are Ivory Coast national football team, while Egypt hold the record for most AFCON championships with 7 titles.
2025 AFCON Groups
The tournament is split into six groups of four teams. Group winners, runners-up and the four best third-placed teams qualify for the knockout stage.
Group A
Morocco (hosts), Mali, Zambia, Comoros
Group B
Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Group C
Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
Group D
Senegal, DR Congo, Benin, Botswana
Group E
Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
Group F
Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
2025 AFCON Full Schedule
Below you can find a complete list of all AFCON fixtures to be played in the months of December and January:
Group Stage · Matchday 1 of 3
Sunday 21st December 2025
Tournament begins: It is an opening match: Morocco vs Comoros
Monday 22nd December 2025
- Mali vs Zambia
- Egypt vs Zimbabwe
- South Africa vs Angola
Tuesday 23rd December 2025
- Nigeria vs Tanzania
- Tunisia vs Uganda
- Senegal vs Botswana
- DR Congo vs Benin
Wednesday 24th December 2025
- Algeria vs Sudan
- Burkina Faso vs Equatorial Guinea
- Ivory Coast vs Mozambique
- Cameroon vs Gabon
Group Stage · Matchday 2 of 3
Friday 26th December 2025
- Morocco vs Mali
- Zambia vs Comoros
- Egypt vs South Africa
- Angola vs Zimbabwe
Saturday 27th December 2025
- Nigeria vs Tunisia
- Uganda vs Tanzania
- Senegal vs DR Congo
- Benin vs Botswana
Sunday 28th December 2025
- Algeria vs Burkina Faso
- Equatorial Guinea vs Sudan
- Ivory Coast vs Cameroon
- Gabon vs Mozambique
Group Stage · Matchday 3 of 3
Monday 29th December 2025
- Zambia vs Morocco
- Comoros vs Mali
- Angola vs Egypt
- Zimbabwe vs South Africa
Tuesday 30th December 2025
- Uganda vs Nigeria
- Tanzania vs Tunisia
- Botswana vs DR Congo
- Benin vs Senegal
Wednesday 31st December 2025
- Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria
- Sudan vs Burkina Faso
- Gabon vs Ivory Coast
- Mozambique vs Cameroon
Round of 16
Saturday 3rd January 2026
(8 matches – fixtures TBD)
Quarter-Finals
Friday 9th January 2026
(4 matches – fixtures TBD)
Semi-Finals
Wednesday 14th January 2026
(2 matches – fixtures TBD)
Match for 3rd Place
Saturday 17th January 2026
Final
Sunday 18th January 2026
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AFCON 2025 FAQ
If you’re looking for quick answers to commonly asked questions about AFCON 2025, read the section below.
When does the AFCON 2025 begin?
The tournament will start on 21st December 2025 and will run until 18th January 2026.
Who are the defending champions?
The defending champions are Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), who lifted the title at the most recent edition.
How many teams will qualify for the knockout round?
A total of 16 teams will advance to the knockout stage:
- Group winners (6)
- Group runners-up (6)
- The four best third-placed teams