The African Cup of Nations is the biggest continental international tournament in Africa. Kicking off biannually, the 24-team tournament is contested to crown the champions of Africa and it was first held in 1957 with just three participating nations: Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. It has expanded greatly since its inception with 54 teams eligible to enter the 24-strong tournament. If you are unfamiliar with the tournament, here is everything you need to know.
Format
Qualification for the tournament works a lot like the Champions League, with lower ranked nations (according to FIFA rankings) enter preliminary rounds contested over two legs. The twelve lowest ranked teams enter the prelims with the six qualifying teams advancing to the group stages along with the 42 directly entered nations before being split into 12 groups of four. The teams who finish 1st and 2nd in their groups then qualify for the finals. The host nation automatically qualifies. Six groups of four teams begin the official competition with the top two teams from each group making the last 16 knockout stage, while the four third-place teams with the best record also make it into the last 16. The competition format is much the same of the typical World Cup format with a group stage followed by single legged knockout stages.
Location
The tournament hosts are decided much like other international tournaments of the like with qualifying nations putting in ‘bids.’ Rules demand that a nation must require six stadiums to host the AFCON based on CAF requirements, two of which can accommodate at least 40,000 spectators, another two that can hold at least 20,000, and the remaining two can hold at least 15,000 fans. Cote D’Ivoire hosted the most recent tournament in 2024 and would go on to lift the trophy, beating Nigeria in the final having been the football betting favourites pre-tournament.
Cultural Significance
The African Cup of Nations has been incredibly important not just for African football and players but for the continent itself. Not only does it bring eyes onto some incredible African infrastructure, dispelling preconceived notions of scarce facilities, it helps fund nations. AFCON 2021, held in Cameroon, was one of the highest grossing in history reaching $79.7m. It also saw incredible investment in the nation with $885m invested showcasing the potential of these projects. It is a showcase of music, dance and traditions in Africa, celebrating the culture and bringing it to a worldwide audience. It united the diaspora, helping connect Africans to their home nations and celebrating their heritage.
Economic Impact
As previously mentioned, AFCON often sees incredible funding efforts into host nations. Much of this goes towards upgrading footballing infrastructure such as
stadiums and training facilities as well as improving transportation networks and communication facilities in anticipation of travelling fans. These fans also help bring in added revenue, with the tourism boost improving revenue.
Player Development
It also brings eyes to some of the greatest players Africa has to offer. We have seen the likes of Mohamed Salah, Sadio Mane, Victor Osimhen and Riyaid Mahrez light up the tournament in recent years. It gives these players a stage to announce themselves to the rest of the world with many of them playing in lesser-known leagues throughout Africa and Europe. In this case, it works as a pseudo-scouting platform for managers and coaches, helping to propel careers of players and further developing the game in Africa. It can also help propel a new generation of young Africans into football. Watching global superstars like Salah and Mane play in the continent can encourage participation and contribute to the overall development of the sport in Africa.
Challenges
There have unfortunately been consistent challenges with the scheduling of AFCON. The tournament is often held in January, meaning it falls halfway through the season for most of Europe’s top leagues. Because of this, many managers are reluctant to lose their players at a vital time in the season and some players are even hesitant to join up with their national team. This has led to a lot of players pulling out of the competition to focus on their club commitments.
Though the footballing infrastructure is a lot stronger in some nations than is perceived, there are still plenty who lack the facilities. This means that many African nations, while able to qualify, are unable to host the tournament.
Despite these challenges, AFCON remains crucial for African football. We have already seen football in the continent develop in recent years and as more eyes are drawn this is only likely to grow in the coming years. As the tournament evolves and attracts even more global attention, it will begin to serve as an even stronger symbol of unity, pride and sporting excellence in Africa.