New Report Reveals How AFCON 2025 Is Becoming A Global Sports And Commercial Powerhouse

Africa Sports Unified (ASU), a boutique strategic consultancy and intelligence platform focused on the Pan-African sports economy, today announces the release of its Africa Cup of Nations 2025 Overview Report.

Hosted by Morocco and staged for the first time in the December–January global football window, AFCON 2025 marks a major inflection point in the evolution of African football as a world-class sporting and commercial property. The tournament features 24 national teams and takes place across nine modernised stadiums in six Moroccan cities.

The report provides a data-driven analysis of how AFCON 2025 is being repositioned as a premium global sports asset, examining prize money growth, broadcast and media distribution, partnerships, host infrastructure, digital engagement and long-term commercial strategy.

Key findings include:

• A record USD 10 million prize for the tournament winner, part of a total USD 32 million prize pool, doubling AFCON’s financial scale compared to recent editions.
• Expanded international media reach, including landmark free-to-air coverage in the United Kingdom via Channel 4, alongside deals in Spain (Movistar), Portugal (Sport TV) and more than 85 global markets.
• The first fully HDR-produced AFCON, setting new broadcast and production standards across all host venues.
• Morocco’s integrated approach to stadiums, transport, fan technology and security as part of its wider 2030 World Cup preparations.

“AFCON 2025 represents a structural shift in how African football is positioned on the global stage,” said Gabriel Ajala, Founder of Africa Sports Unified. “This is no longer just a continental tournament, it is a global media, commercial and nation-branding platform. Our report gives governments, federations, investors, broadcasters and sponsors a single source of truth to understand where the tournament is heading and where the opportunities lie.”

The report also explores how AFCON’s upcoming move to a four-year cycle from 2028 will increase its scarcity, strategic value and commercial importance, requiring deeper long-term planning from CAF, host nations and partners.