AFCON 2025 Preview: Dates, Host Country, Groups, Venues, and Tournament Format

The countdown to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations is on as Morocco prepares to host AFCON 2025. The tournament, the 35th edition in its history, will run from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, using a winter schedule to avoid global fixture clashes.

Morocco hosts for the second time, having staged the competition in 1988, after Guinea lost hosting rights due to poor preparation. Matches will be played in six cities—Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fes, Agadir and Marrakesh—across nine stadiums. The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat will host the final.

AFCON 2025 will feature 24 teams in six groups of four. The top two teams in each group, plus four best third placed sides, advance to the Round of 16, under the slogan “24 Nations. One Dream. One Continent United.”

Nigeria are drawn in Group C with Tunisia, Uganda and Tanzania, while hosts Morocco headline Group A. Qualifiers began in March 2024 and concluded later that year.

Beyond crowning Africa’s champion, the tournament is expected to attract major European scouts, with pressure on Morocco to deliver on and off the pitch.