AFCON 2025 Kick Off
The start of Africa’s biggest football competition is around the corner and 24 countries from the continent are getting ready to compete. This will be the 35th edition of the tournament which has been producing the best in African football since 1968. Morocco will once again host this year’s AFCON. The last time the Morocco hosted the event was in 1988.
The AFCON 2025 comes at the right time for the countries that qualified at the FIFA Qualifiers which finished in November. The upcoming FIFA World Cup is set to be the biggest tournament to date in terms of teams competing and a record nine African teams qualified. The AFCON will be the perfect environment to get game time and gain confidence for countries who qualified for the 2026 Football World Cup.
AFCON 2025 Groups
Countries have been placed in six Groups ranging from A to F with four teams in a group. Each team will play three matches in the Group Stage of the tournament. The competition goes into Round of 16 after the Group Stage before heading into the quarters, semis and final match. The teams that play in for Bronze and in the final will play a total of seven matches in the tournament. AFCON 2025 schedule starts on the 21 of December and finishes on the 18th of January 2026.
- Group A is host nation Morocco, Mali, Comoros and Zambia.
- Group B consists of Zimbabwe, Egypt, South Africa and Angola.
- Group C is made up of Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.
- Group D is Botswana, Senegal, DR Congo and Benin.
- Group E consist of Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea and Sudan.
- Group F has current title holders Côte d’Ivoire, Cameroon, Gabon and Mozambique.
Past Winners & Favourites to Win
The past winners of the competition will always be teams that might do well this year.
- The host nation Morocco will be tough team to beat on home soil. The team has only won the cup once in 1976 but they are one of the teams that qualified for the Football World Cup and have been in great form.
- Egypt is synonymous with having won the AFCON the most times. The Pharaohs have won the title seven times although the last time was in 2010. Egypt has many international football stars in their team and also qualified for the 2026 FIFA WC.
- Senegal is another team that will be representing Africa next year. The Senegalese showed they were a force in African football in the Qualifiers and has finished in the first and second in the last three AFCONs.
- Nigeria has always contended strongly in the event; they finished second in the 2023 AFCON but failed to qualify for the FIFA World Cup.
- Current title holders Ivory Coast will want to retain the cup. The team excelled in the Qualifiers to book their ticket to the Football World Cup. Definitely a great team to put in a early bet on.
AFCON Bafana Fixtures
As AFCON 2025 edges closer, all eyes turn to Bafana Bafana’s group-stage fixtures, where every match could shape South Africa’s tournament destiny. While the road ahead won’t be easy, these fixtures offer a golden opportunity for Hugo Broos’ side to build early momentum, test their squad depth, and make a strong statement on the continental stage. For the full team have a look at our Bafana AFCON 2025 Squad article.
At the same time, with high-intensity clashes, tactical battles, and fine margins expected throughout the group phase, each fixture gives fans and bettors plenty to unpack. From potential banana-skin encounters to must-win showdowns, Bafana’s AFCON 2025 fixtures set the tone for what promises to be an exciting and pressure-packed campaign for South African football supporters. So don’t miss the matches:
- South Africa v Angola 22 December 2025
- Egypt v South Africa 26 December 2025
- Zimbabwe v South Africa 29 December 2025
Dark Horses and Betting Tips
Countries that qualified for the 2026 World Cup can be seen as dark horses in the tournament. These teams have great Africa Cup of Nations odds if you doing future bets and will be well worth looking at our preferred betting partners.
- Tunisia finished top of their group in the Qualifiers with a substantial lead, winning 9 out of the 10 matches.
- Algeria is another team who qualified to the 2026 FWC. The country also won the cup in 2019 and has a lot of depth in the squad.
- Ghana will be representing Africa at next year’s FWC. They also topped their group in the Qualifiers, winning 8 out of 10 matches.
Bafana Bafana is a definite dark horse coming into the 2025 AFCON fixtures. They topped their group in the Qualifiers and also managed to secure an entry to FIFA 2026. The group stage of the AFCON should not give Bafana Bafana too much uphill. Our South Africa AFCON preview is that they should be able to beat Angola with 1 goal and Zimbabwe with 2 goals.
Egypt is the one country that could be tricky and hopefully they win or draw the match. If SA finishes second in the group, then chances are that they will meet Ivory Coast. Say Bafana wins then they might play against Algeria in the quarters. If Bafana wins there they would go on to face Morocco in the semi finals. Morocco’s home ground advantage would be too much for Bafana and they will go on to play for Bronze. You can see more about how to bet on the AFCON at our betting partners.
AFCON Betting Sites
As AFCON 2025 approaches, choosing the right AFCON betting site becomes just as important as picking the right matchday predictions. With Bafana Bafana set to take on Africa’s best, South African bettors need platforms that offer competitive odds, fast payouts, and a wide range of AFCON markets to cover every angle of the tournament.
From match result and goal markets to player specials and outright winner bets. The best AFCON betting sites in SA make it easy to stay involved from the opening whistle to the final. Add live betting, mobile-friendly apps, and tournament-specific promotions into the mix. And the AFCON 2025 becomes even more exciting for local football fans looking to back Bafana every step of the way.
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