AFCON 2025 in Morocco is becoming the best ever

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In the build-up to the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, African football body CAF insisted that the edition in Morocco would be a turning point for African football.

To pundits and former stars who had been in the middle of the AFCON preparations, there was also a general consensus that this year’s edition would be the ‘best ever’ and that it would surpass the memorable 2023 AFCON edition in Ivory Coast.

Two weeks into the tournament, predictions are being ticked off in every direction. Going by the numbers from the AFCON secretariat, AFCON 2025 is breaking records across the areas of finance, attendance, logistics, and media.

This should be no surprise. CAF and the Local Organising Committee in Morocco were intentional.

Senegal's supporters watched their team eject Sudan from AFCON 2025 at the round of 16, at Grand Stadium in Tangiers, Morocco on January 3, 2026

According to CAF General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba: “Morocco has provided world-class infrastructure, not only for African footballers but also for supporters from across the continent and beyond. For the first time we launched the Diaspora Tour. We brought the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON trophy to African communities abroad to say: ‘Come, you will be welcomed as you should be.’ The diaspora has since become our biggest driver of ticket sales. It was a gesture of respect and belonging. In Morocco, the strategy included a strong promotional campaign, government mobilisation and new partnerships. We wanted to push further and truly innovate.”

Clearly, the strategies rolled out have paid off.

As AFCON moves into the Round of 16, the tournament is set to break even more records, thanks in large part to the sheer scale of the preparations and the high standards of organisation that Morocco managed to put in place.

Just to remind you, the Kingdom recently organised the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2024 and the U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025. Both tournaments showcased Morocco’s organisational excellence.

The tournament has proved that Morocco had all it takes to deliver the most successful AFCON ever.  In the area of finance, the tournament is projected to generate a total revenue of approximately $192.6m (sh693b), with sponsorships contributing the largest share at about $126.2m (sh454b). This certainly makes it the most profitable edition in the competition’s history.

Regarding attendance, the LOC expects to generate $19m (sh68b) from tickets with $46.47m (sh167b) accumulated from the record-breaking 20 broadcast deals signed across 30 European territories.

The numbers projected serve as a major milestone for CAF and a reminder that for Morocco, it all stems from a carefully constructed plan, which is now reaping rewards for the country and, with long-term sporting investment, will surely continue to do so in the future.

AFCON 2025’s unprecedented scale in numbers

Revenue & Sponsorship

-Total projected revenue: $192.6m (sh693b)

-Sponsorship: $126.16m (sh454b, 66% from total revenue)

-Ticketing: $19m (sh68b)

-Broadcast: $46.47m (sh167b)

Team Logistics

-All 24 teams have dedicated 5-star hotel-based camps with advanced training and medical facilities provided

Prize Money

-Total prize fund: $32m (sh115b)

-AFCON 2025 winner: $10m (sh36b)

Broadcast & Media Reach

-First AFCON to broadcast all 52 matches free-to-air in the UK

-Advanced broadcast technology used for every match: 4K HDR, drones, spider cameras

-17 apparel brands supplying 24 teams, with Puma kitting out five teams

-Widest global broadcast reach ever, with the opening match shown in over 180 territories.