Kickoff of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations is just 29 days away, and momentum is building towards the coveted biennial tournament.
24 Nations will compete at the prestigious competition, including hosts Morocco, with the tournament slated to take place from 21st December 2025 to 18th January 2026.
In today’s episode of our countdown to AFCON 2025, we look at the performance of each of the 24 nations from the previous editions.
Group A
Morocco
Morocco will be making their 20th appearance at AFCON but have only managed to win the competition once in 1976.
They have also hosted the tournament once, in 1988 but could only settle for fourth place.
With the current squad highly regarded as Morocco’s golden generation, the Atlas Lions, who reached the World Cup semifinals three years ago, will be looking to conquer the African Crown on home soil.
Previous AFCON record
1972 – Group Stage
1976 – Champions
1978 – Group Stage
1980 – Third Place
1986 – Fourth Place
1988 – Fourth Place
1992 – Group Stage
1998 – Quarterfinals
2000 – Group Stage
2002 – Group Stage
2004 – Runners Up
2006 – Group Stage
2008 – Group Stage
2012 – Group Stage
2013 – Group Stage
2017 – Quarterfinals
2019- Round of 16
2021 – Quarterfinals
2023 – Round of 16
Comoros
The Coelacanths have been one of the best-improved teams on the continent.
Their meteoric rise saw them punch above their weight on their debut at the 2021 AFCON in Cameroon, reaching the round of 16. In their second appearance at AFCON, Comoros will be seeking to continue their Cinderella story.
Previous AFCON record
2021 – Round of 16
Mali
Mali will be making their 14th AFCON appearance this year but their best performance came in 1972 when they reached the final but lost DR Congo in the tournament held in Cameroon.
Previous AFCON Record
1972 – Runners Up
1994 – Fourth Place
2002 – Fourth Place
2004 – Fourth Place
2008 – Group Stage
2010 – Group Stage
2012 – Third Place
2013 – Third Place
2015 – Group Stage
2017 – Group Stage
2019 – Round of 16
2021 – Round of 16
2023 – Quarterfinals
Zambia
The Chipolopolo defied odds to win the 2012 AFCON edition. They will be making their 19th appearance at the coveted competition in Morocco.
Previous AFCON Performance
1974 – Runners Up
1978 – Group Stage
1982 – Third Place
1986 – Group Stage
1990 – Third Place
1992 – Quarterfinals
1994 – Runners Up
1996 – Third Place
1998 – Group Stage
2000 – Group Stage
2002 – Group Stage
2006 – Group Stage
2008 – Group Stage
2010 – Quarterfinals
2012 – Champions
2013 – Group Stage
2015 – Group Stage
2023 – Group Stage
Group B
Angola
The Palancas Negras a.k.a Black Sable Antelopes, have been to AFCON nine times and their best performance has been quarterfinal finishes in 2008, 2010 and 2023.
Previous AFCON performance
1996 – Group Stage
1998 – Group Stage
2006 – Group Stage
2008 – Quarterfinals
2010 – Quarterfinals
2012 – Group Stage
2013 – Group Stage
2019 – Group Stage
2023 – Group Stage
Egypt
The Pharaohs are the most successful nation at AFCON, winning the tournament a record seven times. They will also be making a record 27th appearance at AFCON.
Previous AFCON Performance
1957 – Champions
1959 – Champions
1962 – Runners Up
1963 – Third Place
1970 – Third Place
1974 – Third Place
1976 – Fourth Place
1980 – Fourth Place
1984 – Fourth Place
1986 – Champions
1988 – Group Stage
1990 – Group Stage
1992 – Group Stage
1994 – Quarterfinals
1996 – Quarterfinals
1998 – Champions
2000 – Quarterfinals
2002 – Quarterfinals
2004 – Group Stage
2006 – Champions
2008 – Champions
2010 – Champions
2017 – Runners Up
2019 – Round of 16
2021 – Runners Up
2023 – Round of 16
South Africa
Bafana Bafana have been on an upward trajectory over the last few years and go to Morocco as one of the contenders for the title.
South Africa, who have won AFCON once in 1996, will be making their 12th appearance at this stage.
Previous AFCON performance
1996 – Champions
1998 – Runners Up
2000 – Third Place
2002 – Quarterfinals
2004 – Group Stage
2006 – Group Stage
2008 – Group Stage
2013 – Quarterfinals
2015 – Group Stage
2019 – Quarterfinals
2023 – Third Place
Zimbabwe
The Warriors have been to AFCON only five times before this edition and have never progressed beyond the group stage.
Previous AFCON performance
2004 – Group Stage
2006 – Group Stage
2017 – Group Stage
2019 – Group Stage
2021 – Group Stage
Group C
Nigeria
The Super Eagles will be seeking to soar high in Morocco on their 21st AFCON appearance. They have won the title thrice: 1980, 1994 and 2013.
Previous AFCON performance
1963 – Group Stage
1976 – Third Place
1978 – Third Place
1980 – Champions
1982 – Group Stage
1984 – Runners Up
1988 – Runners Up
1990 – Runners Up
1992 – Third Place
1994 – Champions
2000 – Runners Up
2002 – Third Place
2004 – Third Place
2006 – Third Place
2008 – Quarterfinals
2010 – Third Place
2013 – Champions
2019 – Third Place
2021 – Round of 16
2023 – Runners Up
Tanzania
The East African Nations will only be making their fourth appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations but have failed to go beyond the group stage.
Previous AFCON performance
1980 – Group Stage
2019 – Group Stage
2023 – Group Stage
Tunisia
The Eagles of Carthage will make their 22nd AFCON Appearance this year in Morocco and they have won the tournament once in 2004.
Previous AFCON performance
1962 – Third Place
1963 – Group Stage
1965 – Runners Up
1978 – Fourth Place
1982 – Group Stage
1994 – Group Stage
1996 – Runners Up
1998 – Quarterfinals
2000 – Fourth Place
2002 – Group Stage
2004 – Champions
2006 – Quarterfinals
2008 – Quarterfinals
2010 – Group Stage
2012 – Quarterfinals
2013 – Group Stage
2015 – Quarterfinals
2017 – Quarterfinals
2019 – Fourth Place
2021 – Quarterfinals
2023 – Group Stage
Uganda
The Cranes’ biggest achievement at AFCON came in 1978 when they reached the final but lost 2-0 to hosts Ghana. In Morocco, Uganda will be making its eighth appearance at the tournament.
Previous AFCON performance
1962 – Fourth Place
1968 – Group Stage
1974 – Group Stage
1976 – Group Stage
1978 – Runners Up
2017 – Group Stage
2019 – Round of 16
Group D
Benin
Nicknamed The Squirrels, Benin will be making their fifth appearance at AFCON but their best performance came in 2019 when they reached the quarterfinals
Previous AFCON performance
2004 – Group Stage
2008 – Group Stage
2010 – Group Stage
2019 – Quarterfinals
Botswana
The Zebras will be in Morocco as one of the 24 Nations. This is only their second appearance at AFCON, with the maiden one coming in 2012.
Previous AFCON Performance
Group Stage
DR Congo
Under the guidance of coach Sebastian Desabre, the Leopards will be seeking to put up a better performance than the previous edition in the Ivory Coast when they reached the semifinals.
DR Congo has been to AFCON previously on 21 occasions, winning the title twice in 1968 and 1974.
Previous AFCON performance
1965 – Group Stage
1968 – Champions
1970 – Group Stage
1972 – Fourth Place
1974 – Champions
1976 – Group Stage
1988 – Group Stage
1992 – Quarterfinals
1994 – Quarterfinals
1996 – Quarterfinals
1998 – Third Place
2000 – Group Stage
2002 – Quarterfinals
2004 – Group Stage
2006 – Quarterfinals
2013 – Group Stage
2015 – Third Place
2017 – Quarterfinals
2019 – Round of 16
2023 – Fourth Place
Senegal
The Lions of Teranga have only roared to success once, in 2021. They will be making their 18th appearance at the Africa Cup of Nations.
Previous AFCON performance
1965 – Fourth Place
1968 – Group Stage
1986 – Group Stage
1990 – Fourth Place
1992 – Quarterfinals
1994 – Quarterfinals
2000 – Quarterfinals
2002 – Runners Up
2004 – Quarterfinals
2006 – Fourth Place
2008 – Group Stage
2012 – Group Stage
2015 – Group Stage
2017 – Quarterfinals
2019 – Runners Up
2021 – Champions
2023 – Round of 16
Group E
Algeria
The Desert Foxes will be seeking to win the title for the third time, having clinched it previously in 1990 and 2019. The 2025 edition will be their 21st appearance at the coveted tournament.
Previous AFCON performance
1968 – Group Stage
1980 – Runners Up
1982 – Fourth Place
1984 – Third Place
1986 – Group Stage
1988 – Third Place
1990 – Champions
1992 – Group Stage
1996 – Quarterfinals
1998 – Group Stage
2000 – Quarterfinals
2002 – Group Stage
2004 – Quarterfinals
2010 – Quarterfinals
2013 – Group Stage
2015 – Quarterfinals
2017 – Group Stage
2019 – Champions
2021 – Group Stage
2023 – Group Stage
Burkina Faso
They will be making their 14th AFCON appearance in Morocco but their best performance came in 2013 when they reached the final under Paul Put but lost to Nigeria.
Previous AFCON performance
1978 – Group Stage
1996 – Group Stage
1998 – Fourth Place
2000 – Group Stage
2002 – Group Stage
2004 – Group Stage
2010 – Group Stage
2012 – Group Stage
2013 – Runners Up
2015 – Group Stage
2017 – Third Place
2021 – Fourth Place
2023 – Round of 16
Equatorial Guinea
Since making their debut in 2012 when they hosted the tournament alongside Gabon, Equatorial Guinea has been a menace to several traditional giants.
In Morocco, they will be making their fifth appearance at AFCON but their best show came in 2015 when they finished fourth.
Previous AFCON performance
2012 – Quarterfinals
2015 – Fourth Place
2021 – Quarterfinals
2023 – Round of 16
Sudan
One of the pioneers of AFCON in 1957, the Falcons of Jediane will be making their tenth appearance at the tournament with their best appearance coming in 1970 when they emerged as Champions.
Previous AFCON performance
1957 – Third Place
1959 – Runners Up
1963 – Runners Up
1970 – Champions
1972 – Group Stage
1976 – Group Stage
2008 – Group Stage
2012 – Quarterfinals
2021 – Group Stage
Group F
Cameroon
The Indomitable Lions are the second most successful team in AFCON history with five titles, only two behind Egypt. Cameroon will be making their 22nd appearance at the tournament.
Previous AFCON performance
1970 – Group Stage
1972 – Third Place
1982 – Group Stage
1984 – Champions
1986 – Runners Up
1988 – Champions
1990 – Group Stage
1992 – Fourth Place
1996 – Group Stage
1998 – Quarterfinals
2000 – Champions
2002 – Champions
2004 – Quarterfinals
2006 – Quarterfinals
2008 – Runners Up
2010 – Quarterfinals
2015- Group Stage
2017 – Champions
2019 – Round of 16
2021 – Third Place
2023 – Round of 16
Gabon
Gabon will be appearing at AFCON for the ninth time but their best performance has been reaching the quarterfinals on two occasions: 1996 and 2012.
Previous AFCON Performance
1994 – Group Stage
1996 – Quarterfinals
2000 – Group Stage
2010 – Group Stage
2012 – Quarterfinals
2015 – Group Stage
2017 – Group Stage
2021 – Round of 16
Ivory Coast
The Defending Champions have won the title thrice and will be making their 26 appearance at the tournament, a record only bettered by Egypt.
Previous AFCON performance
1965 – Third Place
1968 – Third Place
1970 – Fourth Place
1974 – Group Stage
1980 – Group Stage
1984 – Group Stage
1986 – Third Place
1988 – Group Stage
1990 – Group Stage
1992 – Champions
1994 – Third Place
1996 – Group Stage
1998 – Quarterfinals
2000 – Group Stage
2002 – Group Stage
2006 – Runners Up
2008 – Fourth Place
2010 – Quarterfinals
2012 – Runners Up
2013 – Quarterfinals
2015 – Champions
2017 – Group Stage
2019 – Quarterfinals
2021 – Round of 16
2023 – Champions
Mozambique
The Mambas have been to AFCON on five occasions before this year’s edition but all their previous appearances have ended with Group stage exits.
Previous AFCON performance
1986 – Group Stage
1996 – Group Stage
1998 – Group Stage
2010 – Group Stage
2023 – Group Stage
Can you imagine that in 2013, FIFA ranked Uganda higher than Senegal?
And in 2019 Uganda went toe to toe with Senegal before losing by a 1-0.
One wonders what would have happened if Uganda Cranes players had not downed their tools before that game.
It all went downhill from there for Uganda. And COVID compounded the problems.
Meanwhile, Senegal grew from strength to strength. Now they are beating the likes of Brazil and England.
Hopefully, FUFA and the players learned their lessons.