Highlights of the Best and Worst Moments in the AFCON 2025
The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) was first held in the year 1957. It took nearly over a century for African football to obtain independence from colonial rule. According to the records the first football tournament was played in South Africa in the year 1862. African football is commonly known as The African Cup Of Nations (AFCON) in English and Coupe d’Afrique des Nations (CAN) in French. Only three nations participated in the first match held in 1957: Sudan, Ethiopia, Egypt. South Africa was disqualified from the match due to the government’s apartheid policies. Following this decades-long ban, South Africa hosted the 20th ACN competition, making their first ever appearance.
An Overview of AFCON 2025
In the Finale of AFCON 2025, Senegal secured a 1-0 victory over Morocco and marked a significant moment in the tournament history. The victory for Senegal was set by a left-footed strike by Pape Gueye followed by a sequence of events like a disallowed Senegal goal, a controversial Moroccan Penalty, a walk-off protest, and a missed penalty. The AFCON 2025 was more of a celebration as the tournament took place during the festive time of the year, featuring all the four legends: Egypt, Morocco, Nigeria, and Senegal. Popular sports betting websites, such as Monster Casino, claims that during this time, AFCON was in high demand in sports betting markets.
The Best Moments of AFCON 2025
The AFCON 2025 was notable for their vibrant display of Jerseys, including bold colors, complex cultural details, and design. Starting with Morocco, their kit incorporated vibrant red with some traditional patterns that showcases the nation’s values and traditions. Nigeria’s kit was celebrated for its innovative and dynamic patterns all over the world. Whereas, Senegal’s jerseys included nation symbols and colours following a fashionable design.
During this year AFCON, a new ‘Man of the Match’ trophy was introduced by CAF for the tournament, encouraging unity, diversity, and African football’s global growth. This trophy is designed by a Nigerian-British artist Yinka Ilori. The award was designed with 24 beams reflecting the 24 competing nations. In the centre a Moroccan damask rose is embarked. The structural strands reflect the unity of the sports and the unique heritage of every participating nation.
A supporter of the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s National team, Michel Nkuka became an internet sensation for posing like a statue of Patrice Lumumba, the first prime minister of the DRC, for the entire duration of his team’s matches. This was Nkuka’s signature act since 2013. This was mocked by an Algerian player which led to public outrage, demanding a public apology. This grabbed the attention of the DRC government and he was promoted as the cultural and sports ambassador.
The Worst Moments of AFCON 2025
The AFCON 2025 match started with a heavy rainfall with a threat of disruptions. However, Morocco’s investment on the stadium infrastructure and technology saved the day for the players.
The South African jerseys were so cool but the sad part is it didn’t reflect in their game. Four COSAFA members got eliminated and sadly, no one reached the quarter finals. While the results were not as expected, some South African teams were highly entertaining with their performance, like throwing a group clash between Egypt and Zimbabwe, strong competitors for the “Game of the Tournament”.
It was quite funny listening to the false commentary of the full and packed seats in the stadium while their own camera men clearly showcasing the empty seats all around the stadium. A main reason for these empty seats was the secondary ticket market. Because, a standard 50 dollars Moroccan ticket exceeded 2000% of its face value on the secondary platforms.
Overall, the tournament was packed with energy and passion. AFCON 2025 has raised the expectation for AFCON 2027 which might be held in East Africa. The CAF’s flag was handed to Tanzania, Uganda, and Kenya, and these states were assumed to handle the co-hosting duties. In 2026, the Women’s African Cup of Nations match is expected to be held from March 17 to April 3. So, until the next AFCON, you can shift your focus to the Women’s African Cup of Nations tournament and have an amazing football experience.