The latest edition of AFCON will take place from Sunday December 21 2025 to Sunday January 18 2026, marking the first time the tournament has taken place over the Christmas and New Year period.
The 2025 edition was originally planned to take place during the summer in order to avoid club impact, but the expansion and re-scheduling of the Club World Cup meant it was pushed back.
Morocco were awarded the hosting rights in September 2023. They last hosted the tournament in 1988.
Guinea were initially set to host the tournament, but Confederation of African Football (CAF) president Patrice Motsepe announced in September 2022 the West African nation would be stripped of the right because "the infrastructure and facilities are not appropriate or ready".
Group A: Comoros, Mali, Morocco, Zambia.
Group B: Angola, Egypt, South Africa, Zimbabwe.
Group C: Nigeria, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda.
Group D: Benin, Botswana, DR Congo, Senegal.
Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan.
Group F: Cameroon, Gabon, Ivory Coast, Mozambique.
All kick-off times are GMT
Sunday December 21
Group A:
Monday December 22
Group A:
Group B:
Group B:
Tuesday December 23
Group C:
Group C:
Group D:
Group D:
Wednesday December 24
Group E:
Group E:
Group F:
Group F:
Friday December 26
Group A:
Group A:
Group B:
Group B:
Saturday December 27
Group C:
Group C:
Group D:
Group D:
Sunday December 28
Group E:
Group E:
Group F:
Group F:
Monday December 29
Group A:
Group A:
Group B:
Group B:
Tuesday December 30
Group C:
Group C:
Group D:
Group D:
Wednesday December 31
Group E: Equatorial Guinea vs Algeria, kick-off 5pm - Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat
Group E: Sudan vs Burkina Faso, kick-off 5pm - Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca
Group F: Gabon vs Ivory Coast, kick-off 7.30pm - Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh
Group F: Mozambique vs Cameroon, kick-off 7.30pm - Adrar Stadium, Agadir
Last 16: Saturday January 3 2026 to Tuesday January 6 2026
Quarter-finals: Friday January 9 2026 and Saturday January 10 2026
Semi-finals: Wednesday January 14 2026
Third-place play-off: Saturday January 17 2026
Final: Sunday January 18 2026
Six host cities have been chosen, with the tournament to be played in nine stadiums those those cities.
Hosts Ivory Coast completed one of Africa Cup of Nations' most memorable comebacks to be crowned champions of Africa for a third time as Nigeria were beaten 2-1 in Abidjan.
