The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced that the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. This decision was made after a virtual executive committee meeting at CAF’s headquarters in Cairo on Friday.
The tournament was originally scheduled for June and July 2025 but was moved to avoid a clash with the inaugural Club World Cup in the United States and the UEFA Champions League in Europe. However, the new dates may conflict with the Premier League’s festive season, potentially causing issues for African players playing in England.
The qualifying draw for the 2025 AFCON is set for July 4 in Johannesburg, with 48 teams vying for a spot in the 24-team tournament. Morocco will participate in the qualifiers but has already secured a spot as the host nation.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe expressed confidence that the tournament will be a success, stating that the 2025 AFCON will be “the best AFCON in the history of this competition.” The tournament is expected to generate significant revenue for CAF, with the previous edition in the Ivory Coast yielding an $80 million profit.
Additionally, the 2024 Women’s AFCON (WAFCON) has been postponed and will now take place in Morocco from July 5-26, 2024. New dates for the African Nations Championship (CHAN) and the African Football League (AFL) are yet to be announced.
