AFCON 2025: What Fans Need To Know
By FRED LONGJOHN OBEH
AFRICA’S biggest football showpiece returns on 21 December 2025 as Morocco hosts the Africa Cup of Nations for the first time since 1988. The Atlas Lions welcome 23 other teams for a month-long tournament that will run until 18 January 2026, with champions Ivory Coast aiming to defend their crown.
This edition comes after a turbulent hosting journey: Guinea was stripped of rights in 2022, paving the way for Morocco’s confirmation in 2023. The North African nation now rolls out nine stadiums across Tangier, Rabat, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakesh and Agadir.
AFCON 2025 keeps the 24-team format—six groups of four, with 16 teams advancing to the knockouts. All the qualifiers are familiar faces, though Ghana’s absence stands out after their shock elimination. The group draw offers blockbuster early clashes, including Morocco–Mali, Nigeria–Tunisia, and Ivory Coast–Cameroon.
Matches will run in CET (GMT+1), with early kick-offs at 13:00 and primetime fixtures at 18:30 and 20:00. The knockout rounds will be played mostly under the floodlights.
Rabat’s new Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium—opened in September 2025—will host the final. The 68,700-capacity arena is also a key venue for the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host.
Fans can secure seats through the official AFCON ticketing portal, though purchases require registration and a Fan ID. The final sales window opens 21 November. While the official mascot is still under wraps, the tournament ball—Puma’s “ITRI”—has already been unveiled, featuring zellij-style motifs inspired by Moroccan artistry.
