FULL BREAKDOWN: ALL 52 AFCON FIXTURES, KNOCKOUT PATH, AND KEY GROUP BATTLES
The 2025 AFCON in Morocco promises drama! Get the full schedule, group breakdown, and see how the massive $32 million prize money will be distributed across the 24 teams.
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is coming to Morocco for the first time since 1988! The tournament, featuring 24 teams, will bring some excitement during the cooler months in North Africa.
Since 2019, the tournament has expanded. A lot of the top teams from the continent will be there, but Ghana won’t be, since they didn't make it through qualifications.
The Ivory Coast will try to keep its title after winning at home two years ago. You can always count on this tournament to have great stories and drama.
Here's a quick look at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations:
Start: Sunday, December 21, 2025
Final: Sunday, January 18, 2026
Where: Morocco—nine stadiums in six cities
Watch it on beIN Sport, SuperSport, Canal+, and others (TBD). (TBD).
Prizes: The winner gets $7 million. The total prize money is $32 million.
Who won last time?: Ivory Coast (2023)
2025 Africa Cup of Nations Schedule:
The first match is on Sunday, December 21, at the updated Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah in Rabat. Morocco will play against Comoros.
After that, there are 51 more matches, with 24 teams in group and knockout rounds over the next month.
The final match will be on Sunday, January 18, at the same place in Rabat.
(Times are Moroccan, GMT+1, and could change.)
Group Stage
Sunday, December 21
Group A: Morocco vs. Comoros – 8:00 PM
Monday, December 22
Group A: Mali vs. Zambia – 3:00 PM
Group B: South Africa vs. Angola – 6:00 PM
Group B: Egypt vs. Zimbabwe – 9:00 PM
Tuesday, December 23
Group D: DR Congo vs Benin – 1:30 PM
Group D: Senegal vs. Botswana – 4:00 PM
Group C: Nigeria vs.Tanzania – 6:30 PM
Group C: Tunisia vs. Uganda – 9:00 PM
Wednesday, December 24
Group E: Burkina Faso vs. Equatorial Guinea – 1:30 PM
Group E: Algeria vs. Sudan – 4:00 PM
Group F: Ivory Coast vs. Mozambique – 6:30 PM
Group F: Cameroon vs. Gabon – 9:00 PM
Friday, December 26
Group B: Angola vs. Zimbabwe – 1:30 PM
Group B: Egypt vs. South Africa – 4:00 PM
Group A: Zambia vs. Comoros – 6:30 PM
Group A: Morocco vs. Mali – 9:00 PM
Saturday, December 27
Group D: Benin vs Botswana – 1:30 PM
Group D: Senegal vs. DR Congo – 4:00 PM
Group C: Uganda vs. Tanzania – 6:30 PM
Group C: Nigeria vs. Tunisia – 9:00 PM
Sunday, December 28
Group F: Gabon vs. Mozambique – 1:30 PM
Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs. Sudan – 4:00 PM
Group E: Algeria vs. Burkina Faso – 6:30 PM
Group F: Ivory Coast vs. Cameroon – 9:00 PM
Monday, December 29
Group B: Zimbabwe vs. South Africa – 5:00 PM
Group B: Angola vs Egypt – 5:00 PM
Group A: Zambia vs. Morocco – 8:00 PM
Group A: Comoros vs. Mali – 8:00 PM
Tuesday, December 30
Group C: Uganda vs Nigeria – 5:00 PM
Group C: Tanzania vs. Tunisia – 5:00 PM
Group D: Botswana vs. DR Congo – 8:00 PM
Group D: Benin vs. Senegal – 8:00 PM
Wednesday, December 31
Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs. Algeria – 5:00 PM
Group E: Sudan vs. Burkina Faso – 5:00 PM
Group F: Gabon vs. Ivory Coast – 8:00 PM
Group F: Mozambique vs. Cameroon – 8:00 PM
Round of 16
Saturday, January 3
Match 37: Winner of Group D vs. Third of Groups B/E/F – 5:00 PM
Match 38: Second Group A vs. Second Group C – 8:00 PM
Sunday, January 4
Match 39: Winner of Group A vs. Third of Third of Groups C/D/E – 5:00 PM
Match 40: Second Group B vs Second Group F – 8:00 PM
Monday, January 5
Match 41: Winner of Group B vs. Third of Groups A/C/D – 5:00 PM
Match 42: Winner of Group C vs Third of Groups A/B/F – 8:00 PM
Tuesday, January 6
Match 43: Winner G Group E vs Winner of vs.Second Grvs.Second ofoup D – 5:00 PM
Match 44: Winner of Second of Group F vs. Winner of Second ofvs. Group E – 8:00 PM
Quarter-Finals
Friday, January 9
Match 45: Winner M38 vs Second of vs.Winner M37 – 5:00 PM
Match 46: Winner M40 vs. vs.vs.Winner M39 – 8:00 PM
Saturday, January 10
Match 47: Winner M43 vs Winner M42 – 5:00 PM
Match 48: Winner M41 vs.Winner M44 – 8:00 PM
Semi-Finals
Wednesday, January 14
Match 49: Winner M45 vs. Winner M48 – 6:00 PM
Match 50: Winner M47 vs. Winner M46 – 9:00 PM
Third-Place Playoff
Saturday, January 17
Match 51: Loser M49 vs. Loser M50 – 5:00 PM
Final
Sunday, January 18
Match 52: Winner M49 vs. Winner M50 – 8:00 PM
Teams and Groups
The 24 teams will fight for the title. They earned their spots through qualifiers that ended in November 2024, way before the finals.
The top two teams from each of the 12 groups moved on. The draw for the finals was in January 2025.
The 24 teams are in six groups with four teams in each.
How the Tournament Works
The teams in each group will play each other. The top two teams automatically move to the Round of 16.
The four best third-place teams will join them. Usually, three points is enough to get one of these spots.
If teams are tied on points, here's how it's decided: head-to-head results first, then goal difference in all group matches, then goals scored, and if it's still tied, they draw lots.
The knockout stage starts with the Round of 16 and goes until the final. If a match is tied, they'll play extra time and have a penalty shootout if needed.
There's also a third-place playoff match.
Venues
The games will be played in nine stadiums across six cities in Morocco:
Rabat: Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (69 500)
Rabat: Stade Annexe Olympique Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah (21,000)
Rabat: Complexe Sportif Prince Hertitier Moulay El Hassan (22 000)
Rabat: Stade El Barid (18,000)
Casablanca: Stade Mohammed V (67 000)
Marrakech: Grand Stade de Marrakech (45 240)
Fès: Complexe Sportif de Fès (45,000)
Tangier: Grand Stade de Tanger (68 000)
Agadir: Grand Stade d’Agadir (45 480)
Prize Money and Sponsors
The winner of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 gets $7 million, which is a big jump from the $4 million in 2021.
Here’s how the prize money breaks down:
Winner: $7,000,000
Runner-up: $4,000,000
Semi-finalists: $2,500,000
Quarter-finalists: $1,300,000
Round of 16: $800,000
Third in Group: $700,000
Fourth in Group: $500,000
Total prize money: $32,000,000
CAF has sponsors for the event, with TotalEnergies as the main one. Others include VISA, PUMA, Orange, 1xBet, Royal Air Maroc, TECNO, QNET, Rexona, Danone, LONACI, Apsonic, Midea, AGL, Laughing Cow, Sidi Ali, and Suzuki.
History
The Africa Cup of Nations started in 1957, even before the European Championships! It began with just three teams: Egypt, Sudan, and Ethiopia. South Africa was supposed to be the fourth, but they were kicked out because of apartheid.,
Over the years, the tournament has grown as more countries have become part of CAF.
By 1968, there were eight teams, and that stayed the same for a while.
In 1992, it grew to 12 teams, and they added a quarter-final stage for the first time. Then, in 1996, it jumped to 16 teams, which lasted for over 20 years.
Most recently, in 2019, the tournament went to 24 teams.
Egypt has won the most times, with seven titles. But their last win was in 2010, which was their third in a row after wins in 2006 and 2008. No other team has won three in a row.
Cameroon is next with five wins, followed by Ghana with four (but they haven't won since 1982 and didn't qualify this year). Nigeria and the Ivory Coast each have three wins.
There have been 15 different winners in total. Morocco, which is hosting this year, last won in 1976.
The Trophy
The current Africa Cup of Nations trophy has been used since 2002. It's the third trophy for the championship.
The first one, made of silver, was named after the first CAF president. Ghana got to keep it after winning for the third time in 1978.
Then came the African Unity Cup, which was used from 1980 to 2000. Cameroon won it three times.
The current trophy, gold-plated, was made in Italy and introduced in 2002. Even though Egypt won it three times between 2006 and 2010, they didn't get to keep it.
The Match Ball
The official match ball is made with PUMA’s Orbita 6 technology and is called ITRI. Its design is inspired by Morocco’s zellij art, known for its complicated geometric patterns.
DIEGO SIMEONE RESTS EVERY STARTER AHEAD OF CRUCIAL CHAMPIONS LEAGUE TRIP TO LONDON
Discover how Diego Simeone’s academy gamble at the Mestalla resulted in a 2-0 victory and a historic defensive performance.
Diego Simeone pulled off something special at the Mestalla. He decided to rest every regular starter, thinking ahead to the big Champions League semi-final against Arsenal. Even with all the changes, his backup squad and two bold debutants came through, grabbing a crucial 2-0 win over Valencia.
Talk about rolling the dice. Simeone didn’t just rotate a few players; he swapped out his entire starting lineup. He wanted his top players ready for London, so he sent a completely fresh team to face Valencia. Normally, you’d expect some nerves or messy play with such drastic rotation, but Atletico looked calm. They controlled the game, showing that the 'Cholo' mindset truly runs throughout the club, regardless of who’s on the pitch. Resting his stars paid off; his fringe players stood tall in a tough atmosphere.
Then came the academy kids. In the second half, they took their chance. Iker Luque, only 20, scored a clever goal at the near post just ten minutes after coming off the bench. It was a dream debut, and his poise made him look like a seasoned pro. Not to be outdone, 18-year-old Cubo sealed it with a composed finish eight minutes later, chasing down a sharp Griezmann pass, one of the few big names who got on the field late. After a quick VAR check, the goal stood, and the Atletico bench went wild.
The stats backed up Atletico’s dominance. They racked up 1.78 expected goals from 20 shots, still a real threat even with their regular attackers sitting out. At the back, they shut Valencia down completely; not a single shot on target. That’s the first time Valencia’s failed to test a keeper in a Liga match since February.
With this win, Atletico stretched their league scoring streak to ten straight games. Everyone expected some rotation before the Champions League clash, but no one figured Simeone’s academy kids would shine so brightly, especially at such a tough venue.
Now, the team’s got real momentum heading into the showdown at Emirates. Simeone’s starters will be fresh and fired up for Tuesday’s clash with Arteta’s Arsenal. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw, so everything’s still up for grabs.
CALLUM MCGREGOR DEMANDS IMMEDIATE BOARD ACCOUNTABILITY TO MATCH HIS PERSONAL AMBITION
Callum McGregor wants Celtic to match his ambition. We break down the captain's crossroads and the potential for a shock summer exit.
Callum McGregor has to know by now that Celtic won’t ever reach their full potential as long as things stay the way they are. That’s been clear for ages, and honestly, it’s part of why he needs to move on this summer.
If Celtic really want to become the club it’s supposed to be, it needs to face up to its awful European record. For twenty years, they’ve been nowhere. The stat gets repeated so much it’s almost boring, but you can’t ignore the fact that they haven’t won a knockout-round tie in any UEFA competition since 2004.
The leadership doesn't even bother to manage expectations anymore. They just try to kill them entirely. Ross Desmond, Dermot’s son, spelt it out at that chaotic AGM last November. He said Celtic’s lack of progress in Europe since the UEFA Cup final in 2003 is down to ‘the enormous change in the financial landscape of football’. Basically, they’re in a smaller league, so backing European campaigns isn’t worth the money.
McGregor’s drive doesn’t sync with the folks running Celtic. When he met with the Celtic Fans Collective before Desmond’s outburst, CEO Michael Nicholson claimed Europe had gone fine recently just because they made the group stage nineteen times out of twenty.
Even Martin O’Neill, who once spoke so passionately about wanting to compete in Europe (because that’s what the club set out to do in 1967), shifted his focus as time went on. By his second stint, after being hammered by Stuttgart in the Europa League play-off, he started complaining about English clubs spending obscene sums and how Celtic couldn’t keep up. No money, no hope, apparently.
No one expects Celtic to go toe-to-toe with Manchester City or Arsenal in the Champions League. That whole argument feels like a smokescreen. Still, with nearly £70 million in the bank and a wage bill over £70 million, you just expect them to do better than folding against the likes of Kairat Almaty, Ferencváros, Cluj, and Sparta Prague reserves.
In McGregor’s midweek appeal for Celtic to match his ambition, he stressed the need for Champions League football and for everyone at the club to commit to playing at the highest level, to strive for ‘the best version of Celtic’. But he must know deep down that it’s not going to happen. The Desmonds are staying put. Nicholson isn’t being kicked out, either. That’s just reality.
Yeah, changes are coming: a new manager (Robbie Keane looks likely), maybe a sporting director, perhaps some new board members or a fresh chairman, but you’d be crazy to think this signals any real overhaul.
Celtic’s leaders haven’t cared about making waves in Europe for two decades. Brendan Rodgers returned in one of the strangest moves lately, but the board never gave him the backing he needed. Ange Postecoglou left as a cult hero, but also the first boss ever dumped out of three European tournaments in one season.
As long as Celtic stayed ahead of Rangers, that was enough. They didn’t even notice Hearts sneaking up.
McGregor hinted at this. He called for accountability and pushed for everyone to try to make Celtic the best they can be. You don’t need Sherlock Holmes to see what he’s getting at, and he’s right.
Trouble is, it feels like it’s too late for him. He should’ve drawn a line in the sand years ago, when he had more power.
Instead, after every humiliating European night, we’d hear him talk about “learning lessons" again and again. But Celtic weren’t paying hefty wages for players to learn that they expected results and didn’t get them.
McGregor turns 33 this summer. Two years left on his contract, but he’s not the player he was. If he leaves, maybe for Al-Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia with Rodgers or somewhere similar, it’s probably not going to shake things up as people expect. The new manager will probably want their own captain anyway.
Really, he could’ve tried for a move back in 2019 after Rodgers left the first time. Maybe gone to Leicester and tested himself in the Premier League as Kieran Tierney did. But he stayed, got caught up in the mess as the ten-in-a-row dream died during that disastrous Covid season. That could’ve been the moment to lay down the law or threaten to leave.
Even when rumours about Saudi Arabia heated up in January, he seemed to disappear for a bit. Maybe he wanted to see what Celtic would do in the transfer window. Joel Mvuka, Junior Adamu, and Tomas Cvancara on loan surely weren't what he’d hoped for.
If we’re honest, McGregor’s shot at the top levels of club football is gone. He’s not heading to the Premier League now, and Celtic aren’t about to crack Europe. Saudi’s probably his best option; it would at least set him up for life.
He’s got a Scottish Cup final coming. That’s as good a swan song as you can get. And somehow, Celtic are still in the hunt for the league title.
If McGregor means what he’s said, there’s no way he fits with the club’s leadership anymore.
Really, it’s just a shame he didn’t stand up and call out the board sooner. He’s been an excellent, smart footballer, but he never really pushed himself beyond Celtic, a club whose lack of focus has landed them right where they are now.
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