Everything to know for soccer’s Africa Cup of Nations

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, the biennial tournament held by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), kicked off the group stage on Sunday, Dec. 21. The tournament will determine the continent’s champion with the final on Sunday, Jan. 18.

The Africa Cup of Nations – also known as AFCON – is being held in Morocco, with nine venues in six cities hosting matches. Morocco, which advanced to the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup and currently are rated No. 11 in the FIFA world rankings, enter as tournament favorites, according to BetMGM.

Ivory Coast enters as defending champions, having defeated Nigeria in the final of the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations.

Seven of the nine CAF nations that have qualified for the 2026 World Cup – Algeria, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Morocco, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia – will be competing in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. Another nation, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, could qualify for the World Cup at the FIFA World Cup 2026 Play-Off Tournament that will take place in March.

Here’s what to know for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations:

How to watch the Africa Cup of Nations

The entire tournament will be broadcast on beIN Sports, with streaming available on Fubo.

Watch the Africa Cup of Nations on Fubo

Africa Cup of Nations groups

Group A

• Comoros
• Mali
• Morocco
• Zambia

Group B

• Angola
• Egypt
• South Africa
• Zimbabwe

Group C

• Nigeria
• Tanzania
• Tunisia
• Uganda

Group D

• Benin
• Botswana
• Congo DR
• Senegal

Group E

• Algeria
• Burkina Faso
• Equatorial Guinea
• Sudan

Group F

• Cameroon
• Gabon
• Ivory Coast
• Mozambique

Africa Cup of Nations schedule

GROUP STAGE

Sunday, Dec. 21

• Morocco 2, Comoros 0

Monday, Dec. 22

• Mali vs. Zambia, 9 a.m. ET
• South Africa vs. Angola, 12 p.m. ET
• Egypt vs. Zimbabwe, 3 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Dec. 23

• Congo DR vs. Benin, 7:30 a.m. ET
• Senegal vs. Botswana, 10 a.m. ET
• Nigeria vs. Tanzania, 12:30 p.m. ET
• Tunisia vs. Uganda, 3 p.m. ET

Wednesday, Dec. 24

• Burkina Faso vs. Equatorial Guinea, 7:30 a.m. ET
• Algeria vs. Sudan, 10 a.m. ET
• Ivory Coast vs. Mozambique, 12:30 p.m. ET
• Cameroon vs. Gabon, 3 p.m. ET

Friday, Dec. 26

• Angola vs. Zimbabwe, 7:30 a.m. ET
• Egypt vs. South Africa, 10 a.m. ET
• Zambia vs. Comoros, 12:30 p.m. ET
• Morocco vs. Mali, 3 p.m. ET

Saturday, Dec. 27

• Benin vs. Botswana, 7:30 a.m. ET
• Senegal vs. Congo DR, 10 a.m. ET
• Uganda vs. Tanzania, 12:30 p.m. ET
• Nigeria vs. Tunisia, 3 p.m. ET

Sunday, Dec. 28

• Gabon vs. Mozambique, 7:30 a.m. ET
• Equatorial Guinea vs. Sudan, 10 a.m. ET
• Algeria vs. Burkina Faso, 12:30 p.m. ET
• Ivory Coast vs. Cameroon, 3 p.m. ET

Monday, Dec. 29

• Angola vs. Egypt, 11 a.m. ET
• Zimbabwe vs. South Africa, 11 a.m. ET
• Comoros vs. Mali, 2 p.m. ET
• Zambia vs. Morocco, 2 p.m. ET

Tuesday, Dec. 30

• Tanzania vs. Tunisia, 11 a.m. ET
• Uganda vs. Nigeria, 11 a.m. ET
• Benin vs. Senegal, 2 p.m. ET
• Botswana vs. Congo DR, 2 p.m. ET

Wednesday, Dec. 31

• Equatorial Guinea vs. Algeria, 11 a.m. ET
• Sudan vs. Burkina Faso, 11 a.m. ET
• Gabon vs. Ivory Coast, 2 p.m. ET
• Mozambique vs. Cameroon, 2 p.m. ET

ROUND OF 16

Saturday, Jan. 3-Tuesday, Jan. 6

QUARTERFINALS

Friday, Jan. 9-Saturday, Jan. 10

SEMIFINALS

Wednesday, Jan. 14

THIRD-PLACE GAME

Saturday, Jan. 17 (in Casablanca)

FINAL

Sunday, Jan. 18 (in Rabat)

Africa Cup of Nations 2025 odds

Here are the favorites to win AFCON 2025, per BetMGM:

(Odds as of Sunday, Dec. 21)

• Morocco: +210
• Algeria: +550
• Senegal: +600
• Egypt: +700
• Nigeria: +1000
• Ivory Coast: +1200
• Cameroon: +2000
• Tunisia: +2000
• Mali: +2000
• South Africa: +2500