Africa Cup of Nations facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Africa Cup of Nations

Organising body	CAF
Founded	1957; 69 years ago (1957)
Region	Africa
Number of teams	24 (finals) 54 (eligible to enter qualification)
Current champions	Morocco (2nd title)
Most successful team(s)	Egypt (7 titles)

The Africa Cup of Nations, often called AFCON, is Africa's biggest international football competition for men's national teams. It happens every two years. The Confederation of African Football (CAF) organizes this exciting tournament. It first started in 1957. Since 1968, it has been held every two years. From 2013, it switched to odd-numbered years. The competition is expected to return to even-numbered years and happen every four years, starting in 2028.

In the first tournament in 1957, only three teams played: Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia. South Africa was supposed to join but was not allowed due to unfair rules in their government at the time. Over the years, many more teams joined. This made it necessary to have qualifying matches. By 1998, 16 teams played in the final tournament. In 2019, the tournament grew to 24 teams. It also moved from January to June.

Egypt is the most successful team, winning the cup seven times. Cameroon has won five times, and Ghana four times. Fifteen different countries have won the cup. Three different trophies have been used throughout the tournament's history. The current trophy was first given out in 2002. Egypt won three times in a row in 2006, 2008, and 2010.

History of the Africa Cup of Nations

Early Years and First Champions (1950s–1960s)

Egypt's captain Hanafy Bastan holding the first African Cup of Nations trophy in 1957.

The idea for the Africa Cup of Nations started in 1956. The very first tournament took place in Khartoum, Sudan, in February 1957. Only four founding nations of CAF were invited to play. These were Egypt, Sudan, Ethiopia, and South Africa. South Africa was disqualified because of unfair player selection rules in their government. Because of this, Ethiopia went straight to the final match. Egypt won the first cup by beating Sudan and then Ethiopia.

In 1959, Egypt hosted the tournament again and won for the second time. By 1962, more nations wanted to join. This meant a qualification round was needed for the first time. Host Ethiopia and defending champion Egypt automatically qualified. Ethiopia won the cup that year, beating Egypt in extra time.

Ghana's Rise and Tournament Growth (1960s)

In 1963, Ghana made its first appearance as host and won the title. They won again two years later in Tunisia. This made them two-time winners, just like Egypt. In 1965, CAF introduced a rule. It limited the number of international players on each team to two. This rule stayed until 1982.

The 1968 tournament expanded to include eight teams. These teams were divided into two groups of four. The top two teams from each group moved on to the semi-finals. This system was used for the finals until 1992. The Democratic Republic of Congo won its first title. From 1968, the competition was held every two years in even-numbered years. This pattern changed after the 2012 tournament. Television first covered the 1970 tournament in Sudan. The host nation, Sudan, lifted the trophy after defeating Ghana.

A Decade of Diverse Winners (1970s)

Egypt's starting lineup in the 1974 edition.

Six different nations won titles between 1970 and 1980. Zaire (now the Democratic Republic of Congo) won its second title in the 1974 tournament. They faced Zambia in the final. The first match ended in a 2–2 draw after extra time. For the only time in the tournament's history, the match had to be replayed. Zaire won the re-staged final 2–0. Their forward, Mulamba Ndaye, scored nine goals in the tournament. This set a record that still stands. Morocco won their first title in 1976. Ghana won its third championship in 1978.

Cameroon's Dominance and New Champions (1980s)

Between 1980 and 1990, Cameroon reached the Africa Cup final three times in a row. They won the competition twice, in 1984 and 1988. They lost once on penalties against Egypt in 1986. Algeria was another strong team during this period. They lost in the final against host Nigeria in the 1980 tournament. This allowed Nigeria to win their first championship. Ghana won its fourth continental title in the 1982 tournament. They beat host Libya in the final after a penalty shootout.

South Africa's Return and Tournament Expansion (1990s)

In 1990, Algeria hosted and won its first championship. They beat Nigeria 1–0 in the final.

The 1992 Cup of Nations expanded to 12 teams. The teams were divided into four groups of three. The top two teams from each group moved to the quarter-finals. Ivory Coast won after a very long penalty shootout against Ghana. Each side took 11 attempts to decide the winner.

In 1994, Nigeria won the tournament. They beat Zambia. A year before, Zambia's national squad had faced a sad accident where many team members passed away in a plane crash.

South Africa hosted the 20th ACN competition in 1996. This was their first appearance after a long ban was lifted. The ban ended with changes to unfair separation rules in the country. The number of teams in the final round expanded to 16. However, only 15 teams played because Nigeria withdrew for political reasons. South Africa, known as Bafana Bafana, won their first title at home. They defeated Tunisia in the final. South Africa reached the final again two years later but lost to Egypt.

Egypt's Unprecedented Success (2000s)

Egypt against Cameroon at the 2008 Africa Cup of Nations Final.

The 2000 tournament was hosted jointly by Ghana and Nigeria. Cameroon defeated Nigeria on penalty kicks after a 2–2 draw. In 2002, Cameroon's Indomitable Lions won their second consecutive title. They beat first-time finalists Senegal in a penalty shootout. In 2004, the hosts, Tunisia, won their first title.

The 2006 tournament was also won by the hosts, Egypt. This gave them a record fifth continental title. Some European clubs asked for the tournament's schedule to change. This was because it happened during their season, and players missed club matches. In 2008, Egypt kept the trophy, winning its record-extending sixth tournament. They defeated Cameroon 1–0 in the final.

Tournament Changes and Recent Events (2010s-Present)

Ivory Coast players celebrate after winning the 2015 AFCON.

Egypt set a new record in the 2010 tournament by winning its third consecutive title. This was an amazing achievement on the African level. They defeated Ghana 1–0 in the final. This extended their record to seven continental titles. In May 2010, it was announced that the tournament would move to odd-numbered years from 2013. This was to prevent it from happening in the same year as the FIFA World Cup. This meant there were two tournaments within twelve months in January 2012 and January 2013.

In 2012, Zambia won the final after a penalty shootout against Ivory Coast. This match gained attention because it took place near the site of the 1993 air disaster that affected their national team. Nigeria won the 2013 tournament.

A serious health challenge in West Africa affected the 2015 tournament. Morocco, the original host, decided not to hold it. So, it was moved to Equatorial Guinea. In 2016, Total became a major sponsor. The tournament was renamed the "Total Africa Cup of Nations."

Cameroon players celebrate after winning the 2017 AFCON.

In July 2017, two big changes were approved. The tournament moved from January to the Northern Hemisphere summer. Also, it expanded from 16 to 24 teams. These changes started with the 2019 tournament. Algeria won the African Cup of Nations 2019, defeating Senegal 1–0. This was Algeria's second title.

The 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers were postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The main tournament, hosted by Cameroon, was also moved to 2022. CAF increased the cash prize for the winner. Senegal won the tournament for the first time. They defeated Egypt on penalties in the final. In that tournament, Salima Mukansanga became the first woman to referee an Africa Cup of Nations match. She led an all-woman officiating team.

The 2023 Africa Cup of Nations was held in January 2024. This timing was mainly due to the heat in host Ivory Coast.

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations was held in December 2025 and January 2026. This timing was due to the new quadrennial FIFA Club World Cup tournament. Prize money increased to US$10 million. Senegal beat host nation Morocco 1–0 in the final on 19 January 2026. However, the result was overturned by CAF's appeal board on 17 March 2026. The board stated that the Senegal players left the pitch to forfeit the match. The match outcome was officially changed to a 3–0 win for Morocco. Senegal has stated it will appeal against this ruling.

On 20 December 2025, CAF announced that the tournament would return to even-numbered years. It will also become a quadrennial event, happening every four years. This change starts with the 2028 edition.

Tournament Format

The number of teams and the format of the final tournament have changed over the years. In most tournaments, there is a group stage where teams play each other once. This is followed by a knockout stage, where teams are eliminated after losing a match.

Since the 1962 tournament, this competition has had two parts. First, there is a qualification phase. Then, there is the final tournament. The country hosting the final tournament automatically qualifies. In the early years, the defending champion also qualified automatically.

Qualifying for the Tournament

Map of countries by their number of titles.

The qualification phase has changed over time. This is because more nations joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It started in 1962. In the first two tournaments, only the founding nations of CAF played in the final tournament. These were Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan. South Africa was not included due to unfair rules in their country.

In 1962, new nations joined CAF. This made it necessary to have a qualifying phase. Teams played knockout matches to decide who would play in the final tournament. This system was used until the 1992 tournament. After that, the qualification phase became more like the UEFA European Championship. Teams played in groups of four to seven teams. Each team played against its opponents at home and away. The qualified countries were decided based on their standings within their group.

The Final Tournament Phase

Only the host country gets an automatic spot in the final tournament. The other 23 teams qualify through special qualification matches. In the finals, the 24 teams are divided into six groups of four teams each. The teams in each group play against each other once.

After the group stage, the top two teams from each group move forward. The four best third-placed teams also advance to the round of 16. The winners of these matches go to the quarter-finals. Then, the winners of the quarter-finals move to the semi-finals. The teams that lose in the semi-finals play for third place. The winners of the semi-finals play in the final match to decide the champion.

Trophy and Medals

The current trophy.

Throughout the history of the Africa Cup of Nations, three different trophies have been given to the winners. The first trophy was made of silver. It was called the Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem Trophy. It was named after the first CAF president, Egyptian Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem. Ghana won this trophy three times. Because of this, they were allowed to keep it permanently in 1978.

The second trophy was used from 1980 to 2000. It was called the "Trophy of African Unity" or "African Unity Cup." The Supreme Council for Sports in Africa gave it to CAF before the 1980 tournament. It was a cylindrical piece with the Olympic rings engraved over a map of Africa. It sat on a square base and had triangular handles. Cameroon won the Unity Cup permanently. They became three-time champions in 2000.

In 2001, the third trophy was revealed. It is a gold-plated cup designed and made in Italy. Cameroon, who kept the previous trophy, was the first nation to win this new trophy in 2002. Egypt won this gold-plated cup permanently after becoming three-time champions in 2010. However, unlike previous winners, Egypt received a special full-size replica that they were allowed to keep. The winner of each tournament now receives a replica trophy.

CAF also gives out medals to the top teams. The winning team gets 30 gold medals. The runners-up receive 30 silver medals. The team ranked third gets 30 bronze medals. The team ranked fourth receives 30 diplomas.

Results

Summary of Wins and Placements

Team	Winners	Runners-up	Third place	Fourth place	Total
Egypt	7 (1957, 1959*1, 1986*, 1998, 2006*, 2008, 2010)	3 (19621, 2017, 2021)	3 (19631, 19701, 1974*)	4 (1976, 1980, 1984, 2025)	17
Cameroon	5 (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)	2 (1986, 2008)	2 (1972*, 2021*)	1 (1992)	10
Ghana	4 (1963*, 1965, 1978*, 1982)	5 (1968, 1970, 1992, 2010, 2015)	1 (2008*)	4 (1996, 2012, 2013, 2017)	14
Nigeria	3 (1980*, 1994, 2013)	5 (1984, 1988, 1990, 2000*, 2023)	9 (1976, 1978, 1992, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2010, 2019, 2025)	—	17
Ivory Coast	3 (1992, 2015, 2023*)	2 (2006, 2012)	4 (1965, 1968, 1986, 1994)	2 (1970, 2008)	11
Algeria	2 (1990*, 2019)	1 (1980)	2 (1984, 1988)	2 (1982, 2010)	7
Morocco	2 (1976, 2025*)	1 (2004)	1 (1980)	2 (1986, 1988*)	6
DR Congo	2 (19682, 19743)	—	2 (1998, 2015)	2 (19723, 2023)	6
Senegal	1 (2021)	3 (2002, 2019, 2025)	—	3 (1965, 1990, 2006)	7
Zambia	1 (2012)	2 (1974, 1994)	3 (1982, 1990, 1996)	—	6
Tunisia	1 (2004*)	2 (1965*, 1996)	1 (1962)	3 (1978, 2000, 2019)	7
Sudan	1 (1970*)	2 (1959, 1963)	1 (1957*)	—	4
South Africa	1 (1996*)	1 (1998)	2 (2000, 2023)	—	4
Ethiopia	1 (1962*)	1 (1957)	1 (1959)	2 (1963, 1968*)	5
Congo	1 (1972)	—	—	1 (1974)	2
Mali	—	1 (1972)	2 (2012, 2013)	3 (1994, 2002*, 2004)	6
Burkina Faso	—	1 (2013)	1 (2017)	2 (1998*, 2021)	4
Uganda	—	1 (1978)	—	1 (1962)	2
Guinea	—	1 (1976)	—	—	1
Libya	—	1 (1982*)	—	—	1
Equatorial Guinea	—	—	—	1 (2015*)	1

* hosts

¹ as United Arab Republic

² as Congo-Kinshasa

³ as Zaire

Records and Statistics

Awards for Top Performers

There are currently six awards given after each tournament:

• The Best Player award for the most valuable player.
• The Top Goal-scorer award for the player who scores the most goals.
• The Best Goalkeeper award for the most outstanding goalkeeper.
• The Best Young Player award for the most outstanding young player.
• The Team of the Tournament award for the best combined team of players.
• The Fair Play Award for the team with the best record of fair play.

See also

In Spanish: Copa Africana de Naciones para niños

• African Nations Championship
• Women's Africa Cup of Nations
• U-23 Africa Cup of Nations
• U-20 Africa Cup of Nations
• U-17 Africa Cup of Nations
• List of Africa Cup of Nations official mascots
• List of Africa Cup of Nations official match balls
• List of Africa Cup of Nations songs and anthems
• List of association football competitions