When does AFCON 2025 start? Dates, schedule, groups and how to follow as international tournament given unusual early start
It’s almost time for the latest edition of football’s most vibrant and unpredictable football tournament – the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 35th edition of the tournament kicks off this winter with 24 teams battling it out for Africa’s biggest prize.
Morocco are the hosts this time around with 52 matches to be staged across the country in nine stadiums.
It is the first time in 37 years that Morocco has been handed hosting duties and will be hoping to put on a festival for the watching global audience.
And all eyes will be on the North African nation as they prepare to host matches at the World Cup in 2030 as well.
The country’s capital Rabat will host both the opening match and the final at the 53,000-capacity Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah.
When does AFCON kick off?
The scheduling of the tournament has been brought forward compared to the last two editions which were played in January and February.
This time the action will kick off on December 21 when Morocco face Comoros while the final takes place on January 18, 2026.
The tournament was set to be played in June and July 2025 to reduce scheduling conflicts with European club competitions but was moved back to winter to avoid clashing with FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup.
It will be the first time the competition is held over the Christmas and New Year period meaning some players will have their winter break from club football disrupted while Premier League clubs will have to do without their African stars over the hectic festive period.
Matches will take place on Christmas Eve and Boxing Day but organisers have opted against any Christmas Day fixtures.
And clubs could face further disruption with the recent Champions League revamp which now sees the league phase extend into late January.
AFCON groups, structure and format
There will be no change to the existing format with 24 teams drawn into six groups of four.
The top two nations from each group will qualify for the round of 16 as will the best-ranked four third-place teams.
From that point onwards, it will be a straight knockout competition.
The groups are as follows:
Group A
- Morocco
- 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
Who are the AFCON favourites?
Ivory Coast are the defending champions and will be among the favourites to lift the trophy in January.
However, there will be plenty of contenders for their crown when the tournament kicks off.
AFCON has always prided itself on its unpredictability which lends to the fact that the last eight editions have provided seven different winners with only the Ivory Coast having won the trophy twice in that time.
Hosts Morocco will be many peoples favourite and not just because they will be in familiar territory.
The Atlas Lions are Africa’s top ranked side in the FIFA world rankings in 11th place and are looking to win their first AFCON since 1976.
And that is off the back of their incredible run to the World Cup semi-finals at the 2022 Qatar World Cup.
But hosting the tournament doesn’t provide guarantees of success with only Egypt, Tunisia and the Ivory Coast having lifted the trophy on home soil since 2000.
Senegal are expected to go deep in the tournament as are Nigeria and Egypt.
Which top players will be competing at AFCON?
With plenty of club and international football still to be played between now and AFCON in December and the prevalence of injuries, it is unclear who will be strutting their stuff in Morocco.
Liverpool star Mohamed Salah will be among the big names featuring at the tournament alongside Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush.
Nigeria will be pinning their hopes on reigning African Player of the Year Ademola Lookman who is now back in the fold for Atalanta as well as Galatasaray striker Victor Osimhen.
Paris Saint-Germain’s Achraf Hakimi will captain the host nation as they look to make history in front of their passionate fans.
Morocco can also call upon Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz and goalkeeper Yassine Bounou.
There will be plenty of links with British clubs among the host nation’s pool of talent with former Manchester United star Sofyan Amrabat, current United full-back Noussair Mazraoui and ex-Chelsea star Hakim Ziyech.
Hamza Igamane, who recently departed Rangers, is likely to feature as is ex-Leicester star Bilal El Khannouss.
Meanwhile, Equatorial Guinea’s Emilio Nsue will be hoping he can repeat his efforts of last time round by winning another golden boot and Nigeria defender William Troost-Ekong who won the Best Player award will hope to show more of the same this time around.
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