AFCON
Ahead of Final Draw: Africa Cup of Nations in Numbers
Ahead of the draw for the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 that will be staged in Rabat on January 27, we round up the numbers on the continent’s greatest footballing show.
0 – There will be no debut nation at these finals in Morocco. All 24 teams have competed at least once before in the continental showpiece, though Botswana and Comoros will be making a second appearance.
1 – Former Zambia goalkeeper Kennedy Mweene is the only gloveman to score at the AFCON when he netted a penalty in a 1-1 pool stage draw with Nigeria in 2013. Zambia were defending champions but could not hold onto their crown.
2 – Ex-Egypt striker Hassan El-Shazly holds the record for most hattricks at the AFCON after he scored two – one in 1963 and another in 1970.
3 – Two coaches have lifted the AFCON trophy three times. Ghana’s Charles Gyamfi and Hassan Shehata, who won three in a row between 2006 and 2010.
3 – Egypt are the only nation to lift the AFCON trophy three tournaments in a row when they were champions in 2006, 2008 and 2010.
5 – Laurent Pokou holds the record for the most goals scored in a single AFCON match when he netted five times for Cote d’Ivoire in a 6-1 victory over Ethiopia in 1970.
6 – Four players have managed to score in six different finals tournaments – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon, above), Kalusha Bwalya (Zambia), Andre Ayew (Ghana) and Asamoah Gyan (Ghana).
7 – Egypt have won the AFCON title the most times with seven victories. They have also claimed three silver medals and three bronze, so have 13 medals in total. Nigeria actually have the most medals overall with three gold, five silver and eight bronze for a total of 16.
8 – Ex-Cameroon defender Rigobert Song, former Egypt star Ahmed Hassan, Ghana striker Andre Ayew and Tunisian forward Youssef Msakni hold the record for the most AFCON tournament appearances as a player with eight each.
9 – Former Zaire (now DR Congo) forward Ndaye Mulamba holds the record for the most goals in a single AFCON finals when he netted nine in 1974 to lead his side to the title.
9 – Frenchman Claude Leroy holds the record for most tournaments as a coach having led teams at nine separate AFCON between 1986 and 2017. He took six different teams to the finals in all – Cameroon (twice), Senegal (twice), Ghana, DR Congo (twice), Congo-Brazzaville and Togo.
12 – Twelve of the previous 34 host nations have lifted the AFCON trophy on home soil. Cote d’Ivoire managed it at the 2023 finals, the first time a host had won since Egypt in 2006.
16 – The youngest player to appear at the AFCON finals was Shiva N’Zigou, who was 16 years and 93 days when he played for Gabon in a group stage match against South Africa in 2000.
17 – Tunisia hold the record for the most consecutive AFCON finals appearances. Morocco 2025 will be their 17th in a row.
18 – Former Cameroon striker Samuel Eto’o holds the record for most goals at the AFCON finals with 18 from 29 matches across six tournaments between 2000 and 2010.
26 – Egypt have appeared at the most finals, 26, one more than Cote d’Ivoire, who are next on the list, with Ghana in third on 24 appearances. The latter will not be in Morocco this time round.
44 – The oldest player to appear at the AFCON was ex-Egypt goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary (above), who was 44 years and 21 days old when he played against Cameroon in 2017.
44 – The number of African nations out of 54 who have qualified for the finals in the past. Only Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Lesotho, São Tomé and Príncipe, Seychelles, Somalia and South Sudan have never appeared.
111 – Egypt have played the most games at the AFCON finals. Cote d’Ivoire (106), Ghana (105) and Nigeria (104) are the other nations to have played over a century of games. Egypt also hold the records for games won (60) and goals scored (175).
119 – The 2023 finals holds the record for most goals scored at 119, smashing the previous record of 102 in 2019. Both those tournaments featured 24 teams. The finals with the most goals on average per game was in 1962 (4.50 per game) and the least in 1988 (1.44).
1957 – The first AFCON finals was played in 1957 and contained only three teams – Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan.
-CAF
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The Morocco 2025 Africa Cup of Nations provides a unique setting never experienced before. Teams will get to know their opponents, nearly 11 months before the kick-off of the tournament in December.
Moreover, this is the first time the competition will be held in December since it began 68 years ago.
It will also be the first tournament to spill into the following year as the final match is slated for 18 January 2026.
The Africa Cup of Nations will therefore add to the festivities of Christmas of 2025 and the New Year celebrations of 2026.
The final draw holds next week on 27 January in the green city of Rabat.
This will be the 35th edition of the AFCON, which was first played in 1957. It is the third oldest continental competition in football behind South America (1916) and Asia (1956).
The 24 teams that will be in the draw for the 2025 finals are as follows, with their previous appearances and best finish included:
- Algeria (21st appearance, champions in 1990, 2019)
- Angola (10th appearance, quarter-finalists in 2008, 2010, 2023)
- Benin (5th appearance, quarter-finalists in 2019)
- Botswana (2nd appearance, group stages in 2012)
- Burkina Faso (14th appearance, runners-up in 2013)
- Cameroon (22nd appearance, champions in 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)
- Comoros (2nd appearance, round of 16 in 2021)
- Cote d’Ivoire (26th appearance, champions in 1992, 2015, 2023)
- Democratic Republic of Congo (21st appearance, champions in 1968, 1974)
- Egypt (27th appearance, champions in 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)
- Equatorial Guinea (5th appearance, fourth place in 2015)
- Gabon (9th appearance, quarter-finalists in 1996, 2012)
- Mali (14th appearance, runners-up in 1972)
- Morocco (20th appearance, champions in 1976)
- Mozambique (6th appearance, group stages in 1986, 1996, 1998, 2010, 2023)
- Nigeria (21st appearance, champions in 1980, 1994, 2013)
- Senegal (18th appearance, champions in 2021)
- South Africa (12th appearance, champions in 1996)
- Sudan (10th appearance, champions in 1970)
- Tanzania (4th appearance, group stage in 1980, 2019, 2023)
- Tunisia (22nd appearance, champions in 2004)
- Uganda (8th appearance, runners-up in 1978)
- Zambia (19th appearance, champions in 2012)
- Zimbabwe (6th appearance, group stage in 2004, 2006, 2017, 2019, 2021)
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The final draw for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 will be staged in Rabat on January 27, and that means it is time to brush up on the facts and figures around the continental showpiece event.
CAF looks at the records set by teams, players and coaches since the inaugural tournament in 1957.
MOST TITLES WON
7 – Egypt: 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010
MOST TITLES WON AS A PLAYER
4 – Ahmed Hassan, Essam El Hadary (both Egypt) – 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010
MOST TITLES WON AS A COACH
3 – Charles Gyamfi (Ghana) – 1963, 1965, 1982; Hassan Shehata (Egypt) – 2006, 2008, 2010
MOST APPEARANCES IN A FINAL
10 – Egypt: 1957, 1959, 1962, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2021
MOST APPEARANCES AT THE FINALS
27 – Egypt: 1957, 1959, 1962, 1963, 1970, 1974, 1976, 1980, 1984, 1986, 1988, 1990, 1992, 1994, 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025
MOST GAMES PLAYED AT THE FINALS
111 – Egypt
MOST WINS AT THE FINALS
60 – Egypt
MOST GOALS AT THE FINALS
175 – Egypt
MOST WINS IN A ROW AT THE FINALS
9 – Egypt (2008-2010)
LONGEST UNBEATEN RUN AT THE FINALS
24 – Egypt (2010-2017)
MOST SUCCESSIVE APPEARANCES AT THE FINALS
17 – Tunisia (1994-2025)
MOST FINALS APPEARANCES
8 – Rigobert Song (Cameroon) – 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010; Ahmed Hassan (Egypt) – 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2010; Andre Ayew (Ghana) – 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023; Youssef Msakni (Tunisia) – 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2021, 2023
MOST MATCHES PLAYED AT THE FINALS
36 – Rigobert Song (Cameroon), Adrew Ayew (Ghana)
MOST APPEARANCES IN A FINAL MATCH
4 – Ahmed Hassan (Egypt) – 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010
MOST FINALS GOALS
18 – Samuel Eto’o (Cameroon)
MOST GOALS SCORED IN A SINGLE FINALS
9 – Mulamba Ndaye (Zaire) 1974
MOST GOALS SCORED IN A MATCH
5 – Laurent Pokou (Cote d’Ivoire 6 Ethiopia 1, 1970)
FASTEST GOAL SCORED
23 seconds – Ayman Mansour (Egypt 4 Gabon 0, 1994)
BEST GOALS-TO-GAME RATIO (MINIMUM 10 SCORED)
1.50 – Hassan El-Shazly (Egypt), 12 goals in 8 games
MOST FINALS AS A COACH
9 – Claude Le Roy (Cameroon 1986, 1988; Senegal 1990, 1992; Ghana 2008; DR Congo 2006, 2013; Congo 2015; Togo 2017)
MOST MATCH AS A COACH
38 – Claude Le Roy
MOST GOALS IN A MATCH
9 – Egypt 6 Nigeria 3, 1963
HIGHEST WINNING MARGIN
5 – Cote d’Ivoire 6 Ethiopia 1, 1970; Guinea 6 Botswana 1, 2012; Cote d’Ivoire 5 Guinea 0, 2008
WINNER AS A PLAYER AND COACH
Mahmoud Al Gohari (Egypt) – 1957 and 1998
Stephen Keshi (Nigeria) – 1994 and 2013
MOST FINALS HOSTED
5 – Egypt: 1959, 1974, 1986, 2006, 2019
-CAF
For the second time, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has sanctioned the Libyan Football Federation for offences committed in the qualifying tournament of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
Libya had earlier been sanctioned with the forfeiture of their home match with Nigeria.
This time, the CAF Disciplinary Board charged the Libyan Football Federation with misconduct following incidents during their match with Benin in Benghazi on 18 November 2024.
The CAF Disciplinary Board found the Libyan Football Federation guilty of violating articles 82 and 151 of the CAF Disciplinary Code for the behaviour of its supporters and officials during and after the match.
The Libyan Football Federation was ordered to play its next two official national team matches behind closed doors, and the CAF Disciplinary Board fined it USD 50,000.
In a related development, and in the same qualifying tournament, the CAF Disciplinary Board charged the Beninese Football Federation for its non-collaboration with the Disciplinary Board, in violation of article 45 of the CAF Disciplinary Code during their fixture against Rwanda.
The CAF Disciplinary Board found the Beninese Football Federation and imposed a fine of USD 5,000 for violation of Article 45 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.
The DC Board also imposed a fine of USD 50,000, with USD 25,000 suspended for misconduct of its officials at the end of the match.
The CAF Disciplinary Board also took decisions on other matters and incidents during the CAF Interclub Competition and the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifiers.
CR Belouizdad of Algeria was charged with misconduct after its fans allegedly used smoke bombs during their CAF Champions League fixture against Orlando Pirates of South Africa on 26 November 2024.
The Board found CR Belouizdad guilty and fined the Club USD 10,000 of which USD 5,000 is suspended, provided that no similar incident is observed over the next 12 months.
The other decisions are:
CAF Champions League: AS FAR
AS FAR was charged with misconduct after its fans allegedly used smoke bombs during their CAF Champions League fixture against Mamelodi Sundowns (South Africa) on 7 December 2024.
The CAF Disciplinary Board found AS FAR guilty and fined the Club USD 5,000. The CAF Disciplinary Board also further fined AS FAR USD 10,000 for the use of lasers by its supporters.
Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifiers: Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea were charged for failure to provide adequate security at their Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifiers encounter against Togo on 14 November 2024 in Malabo, Equatorial Guinea.
The CAF Disciplinary Board found Equatorial Guinea guilty and imposed a suspended sanction of USD 25,000. The CAF Disciplinary Board further imposed a USD 5,000 fine on Equatorial Guinea for a lack of security which resulted in supporters invading the pitch.
Confederation Cup: CS Sfaxien
CS Sfaxien was charged with misconduct after its supporters allegedly threw pyrotechnic devices during the Confederation Cup fixture against CS Constantine of Algeria on 27 November 2024.
The CAF Disciplinary Board found CS Sfaxien guilty and imposed a fine of USD 20,000; USD 10,000 suspended for 12 months.
Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 Qualifiers: Tanzania/ Guinea
The Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) informs that the Disciplinary Board, during its meeting on December 19, 2024, rendered its decision concerning the complaint filed by the Guinean Football Federation on the occasion of match No. 143 between Tanzania and Guinea, played on November 19, 2024, as part of the sixth day of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 qualifiers.
The Disciplinary Board ruled that the complaint filed by the Guinean Football Federation is declared admissible. The complaint was rejected.
Confederation Cup: USM Alger
USM Alger of Algeria was charged with misconduct after its fans allegedly used smoke bombs during their Confederation Cup fixture against Orapa United of Botswana, played on 27 November 2024.
The CAF Disciplinary Board found USM Alger guilty and imposed a fine of USD 10,000; USD 5,000 suspended for 12 months.
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