The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) begins in Morocco on Sunday with heightened attention on the expanded prize money on offer and a competition history that continues to defy form and reputation. With $7 million earmarked for the eventual champions, the tournament is set against the backdrop of past shocks that have reshaped expectations at Africa’s premier football event.
Under the revised prize structure announced ahead of the competition, the winners will earn $7 million, while the runners-up will receive $4 million. Losing semi-finalists are guaranteed $2.5 million each, quarter-final exits $1.3 million, and teams eliminated in the round of 16 will collect $800,000. Sides finishing third in their groups without progressing to the knockout phase will earn $700,000, while fourth-placed teams will receive $500,000.
The prize money framework underscores the financial stakes for the 24 participating nations, particularly as many federations view the tournament as both a sporting and economic opportunity. Officials involved in tournament planning say the distribution is intended to reward competitiveness at every stage and sustain interest deep into the group phase.
The competition opens with hosts Morocco facing Comoros in Rabat, as the North African nation seeks to convert home advantage into a first continental title since 1976. However, the build-up to the tournament has been tempered by concerns over the fitness of key players, including captain Achraf Hakimi, whose condition has been closely monitored by the Moroccan camp.
Beyond the financial incentives, the Africa Cup of Nations has a reputation for unpredictability, with several high-profile upsets etched into its history. One of the most cited remains Equatorial Guinea’s 4–0 defeat of Ivory Coast in the group stage of the 2024 edition, a result that stunned the hosts despite their eventual recovery and title win.
Other shocks continue to shape tournament lore, including Comoros’ 3–2 victory over four-time champions Ghana in 2022, which sealed Ghana’s first-round exit, and Benin’s penalty shootout win over fancied Morocco at the 2019 tournament in Egypt after a 1–1 draw.
In 2012, Zambia held Ivory Coast to a goalless final before winning the title on penalties, while Mali’s 2–0 defeat of hosts Tunisia in the opening match of the 1994 edition remains a reference point for early tournament surprises.
As the 2025 competition unfolds, coaches and players have acknowledged the dual pressure of expectation and history. Belgian Hugo Broos, now in charge of South Africa and the only coach at the tournament to have previously won the Africa Cup of Nations, is among those navigating the balance between pedigree and performance.
Star players including Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, Senegal’s Sadio Mane, Nigeria’s Victor Osimhen and Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo are expected to draw attention, but recent tournaments have shown that reputation offers limited protection against determined underdogs.
With a congested international calendar and growing scrutiny of player welfare, the tournament also arrives at a time when national teams are required to manage form, fitness and finances simultaneously. The prize money on offer provides added motivation, but the history of the Africa Cup of Nations suggests that financial reward alone does not guarantee success.
As Morocco hosts the continent for the next four weeks, the combination of increased monetary stakes and the enduring possibility of shocks is expected to define another chapter in African football’s most watched competition.
