Starting from 3 Teams to Now 24
The Unreal Domination of Egypt in the Africa Cup of Nations
Egypt in AFCON is what Australia is in ICC events. The Egyptians have bagged 7 AFCON titles to date! Cameroon has won 5, and Ghana has won 4, respectively. You may think that if the margin is not that big, why do people use the word “domination”? So, let’s understand this. Egypt doesn’t just win, but they annihilate records. Before 2025, they had competed in 111 AFCON matches, won 60 of them, scored 175 goals, and reached 10 finals. Their 3 consecutive titles (2006-2010) under coach Hassan Shehata are still a benchmark of AFCON excellence.
Let’s now jump on individual records. Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o is the all-time top scorer with 18 goals and has won AFCON twice. André Aboubakar, Didier Drogba, Rashidi Yekini, Lauret Pokou and many more names echo through the history of African football like hymns.
The Dark Side of the Africa Cup of Nations
Every AFCON memory is not sublime. On January 24, 2022, in the Olembe Stadium (capacity 60,000), Yaoundé, Cameroon, was hosting Comoros in a knockout match, and around 50,000 fans tried to sneak into the stadium, which was restricted to 80% capacity because of COVID. When the management opened the south gate of the stadium, it was catastrophic. Eight people were directly crushed to death. More than 30 were injured, leaving seven of them critically injured.
This dreadful incident rattled African football to its core. The association had to ban the stadium, and the quarter-final was relocated. The Cameroonian President, Paul Biya, immediately issued orders to investigate. Later, Patrice Motsepe, the President of CAF, swore, “Such incidents will never take place. Now, the stadium is cleared to open, but nothing can erase those scars.
When Politics Met the Africa Cup of Nations
A sport without politics is still a dream for every fan. The global reach of AFCON also has its own contribution to controversies. In 2017, many African nations provisionally lost broadcast rights when conflicts started between media rights holders and CAF. The dispute continued even in the 2020s, with CAF and beIN Sports in a 98$ million payment disagreement that threatened to black out all matches across Africa. Later on, CAF terminated their contract and left fans muddying through different ways to watch their favourite teams compete.
Final Minutes
If you’re a die-hard fan, a casual viewer, or exploring AFCON for the very first time, this football tournament is at the heart of every African. This is where Pharaohs reign, underdogs dream big, and where the entire world watches Africa’s finest players shine on the continent’s biggest stage.
FAQs
Which country is hosting AFCON 2025?
AFCON 2025 is being hosted by Morocco.
Where to watch AFCON 2025 live in India?
In India, Fancode has the official digital streaming rights for the Africa Cup of Nations 2025.
Who are the defending champions of AFCON?
Ivory Coast are the defending champion of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations, defeating Nigeria 2-1 and claiming their 3rd title.
When is the Final of AFCON 2025?
The final match of AFCON is on Sunday, January 18 2026, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat.
