Africa Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is the main international men's football tournament contested by African national teams and organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is the main international men's football tournament contested by African national teams and organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Held every two years, it expanded to 24 teams in the final tournament from 2019 onward. Egypt is the most successful team in the competition's history.
History
The Africa Cup of Nations began in 1957 and has become the most important men's football competition for African national teams. Its format has changed repeatedly as the number of participating teams increased over the decades.
Format
CAF states that the final tournament has evolved from 4 teams to 8 and then 12, before becoming a 16-team event from 1996 to 2017. Since the 2019 edition, the final tournament has featured 24 teams.
Records and statistics
Egypt is the most successful nation in the competition's history with seven titles. The provided sources also identify Samuel Eto'o as the top scorer, Sadio Mané as the top assist provider, and Rigobert Song as the player with the most appearances.
Recent editions
The sources indicate that Côte d'Ivoire won the 2023 edition, while Morocco is listed as the current champion in later source material connected to the 2025 tournament. The competition remains a major event in African football with broad continental attention.
Key facts
- The Africa Cup of Nations is the premier men's national-team football tournament in Africa, first held in 1957.
- The tournament is held every two years and has expanded to 24 teams since 2019.
- Egypt holds the record for the most championships with seven titles.
- Morocco is the current champion as per the provided sources.
- The competition is of interest to Canadian readers due to Canada's large African diaspora and its following of major international football tournaments.
The competition is of interest to Canadian readers because Canada has a large African diaspora and follows major international football tournaments, including AFCON-related player and club connections.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Africa Cup of Nations?
How often is it held?
When did it begin?
How many teams play in the final tournament?
Which country has won it the most times?
Who is the current champion?
References
- Confederation of African Football — https://www.cafonline.com/fr/competitions/caf-competitions/Supports: Tournament frequency, historical expansion of the final tournament, and the role of the winner in continental competitions.
- French Football Federation — https://www.fff.fr/343-palmares-de-la-coupe-d-afrique-des-nations.htmlSupports: List of champions by edition, including Egypt's record title count and recent winners.
- Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coupe_d'Afrique_des_nations_de_footballSupports: Summary statistics including most titles, top scorer, top assist provider, most appearances, and current title holder as presented in the source.
- Le Figaro — https://www.lefigaro.fr/sports/football/coupe-d-afrique-des-nations/calendrier-resultatsSupports: Recent tournament results showing Morocco in the 2026 results page context.
- BBC Afrique — https://www.bbc.com/afrique/articles/cd6381q2q24oSupports: 2025 tournament format, number of teams, number of matches, and host cities/stadiums.