After weeks of intense debate over player availability and the timing of the competition, attention now turns to the football itself as the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) gets underway in Morocco on Sunday.
At first glance, two dominant storylines frame the tournament: whether hosts Morocco can extend their world-record run of 18 consecutive victories and secure only their second Afcon title, and whether Mohamed Salah will finally lift the continental crown with Egypt.
The 33-year-old forward arrives in Morocco amid uncertainty over his future at Liverpool, following his explosive claim on December 6 that he had been “thrown under the bus” by the club. After returning from the bench at Anfield last weekend, Salah will now focus on his fifth Afcon appearance, still chasing a title after suffering defeat in two previous finals.
However, limiting the narrative to these two themes would overlook the very nature of Afcon a tournament defined by drama, unpredictability, and upheaval.
Ivory Coast’s astonishing home triumph last year, achieved despite sacking their coach during the group stage, remains fresh in memory. Senegal, meanwhile, underlined their credentials with an impressive victory over England in June. Nigeria are determined to improve on their runners-up finish in 2023, while traditional heavyweights Cameroon arrive amid turmoil, with both nations seeking redemption after failing to qualify for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
With seven different champions in the last eight editions, Morocco 2025 promises to be another compelling chapter in a competition described by Benin assistant coach Tunde Adelakun as the “holy grail of African football.”
“It’s so hard to win the Africa Cup of Nations,” Morocco midfielder Sofyan Amrabat told the BBC World Service. “People love you, but if you win, they will never forget you.”
Morocco under pressure
The Atlas Lions enter the tournament as favourites, buoyed by home advantage and their status as Africa’s top-ranked side since their historic run to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Their winning streak surpassing Spain’s previous record of 15 consecutive victories — does come with a caveat, having beaten only one team inside the world’s top 50 during that run. Nevertheless, expectations are sky-high.
Tickets sold out within hours, and fans are already dreaming of celebrating in Rabat on January 18, hoping to end a 49-year wait for a first Afcon title since 1976. Coach Walid Regragui and his squad, eliminated in the last 16 at the 2023 edition, must now cope with immense pressure.
Captain Achraf Hakimi is racing to regain fitness, but even in his absence, Morocco are expected to progress comfortably from the group stage.
“In Africa, the most important thing is to play with your heart,” Amrabat added. “The fans can push us a lot. With that energy and our quality, we can go very far.”
Off the pitch, organisers remain alert. Earlier this year, Gen Z protests criticised heavy investment in football infrastructure, while deadly flash floods in Safi raised broader concerns. Afcon presents Morocco with another opportunity to assert its growing influence as a football powerhouse.
Scheduling disputes resurface
Once again, a mid-season Afcon has frustrated European clubs. With FIFA’s expanded Club World Cup scheduled for June and July, the Confederation of African Football (Caf) had little flexibility over dates.
FIFA eventually ruled that players need only be released seven days before the tournament, rather than the usual 14 — a move that disrupted preparations for several teams. Mali coach Tom Saintfiet branded the decision “catastrophic,” insisting African football deserves greater respect.
Group A side Comoros, whose squad is entirely based overseas, were forced to shorten their training camp and cancel a friendly ahead of their opening match against Morocco.
“We are angry,” said Comoros coach Stefano Cusin. “If we had known earlier, we would have planned differently.”
Despite the controversy, Caf remains committed to staging Afcon every two years, as it remains the organisation’s primary source of revenue for reinvestment across the continent.
Cameroon’s turmoil and other contenders
Elsewhere, South Africa have developed a cohesive unit under Hugo Broos, the coach who guided Cameroon to Afcon glory in 2017. Algeria look revitalised, boasting African World Cup qualifying top scorer Mohamed Amoura, and appear poised to reach the knockout rounds for the first time in three editions.
Cameroon, however, arrive in disarray. Federation president Samuel Eto’o dismissed coach Marc Brys, while goalkeeper Andre Onana and striker Vincent Aboubakar were both left out of the squad.
“We wanted a different mindset,” said new coach David Pagou, explaining the controversial decisions.
There are no tournament debutants, but Sudan’s qualification stands out as remarkable, achieved despite playing all qualifiers away from home due to ongoing civil conflict.
Meanwhile, Botswana, Mozambique, and Tanzania are chasing their first-ever Afcon victories and dreaming of a maiden progression beyond the group stage. Tanzania also has one eye on the future as it prepares to co-host the 2027 tournament alongside Kenya and Uganda.
With 12 former champions competing, a first-time winner may seem unlikely but as history repeatedly proves, expect the unexpected at the Africa Cup of Nations.
