• AFCON has grown from a three-team tournament which included teams like Egypt and Ethiopia in 1957 to Africa’s largest football event, featuring 24 nations in its latest format
• Cameroon, with five titles, stands as the second-most successful AFCON team after Egypt's dominant run of seven championships
• AFCON legends include Samuel Eto’o, the all-time top scorer with 18 goals, and stars like Didier Drogba and Sadio Mane

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Africa's premier men’s football tournament, has grown into the continent’s grandest sporting event since its inception in 1957. 

Initially featuring only three nations, Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan, the tournament has evolved into a fiercely contested championship with 24 teams competing in the main draw and 52 in the qualifiers.

Organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), AFCON has witnessed 34 editions and crowned 14 champions over its illustrious history. Egypt emerged as the first-ever winner, dominating Ethiopia 4-0 in the inaugural final, and further setting an unparalleled record of seven titles.

AFCON wasn’t always the structured biennial event fans know today. In its early years, tournaments were held sporadically until 1968, when CAF established a consistent two-year cycle. This year also marked the expansion of the competition to eight teams, intensifying the level of play. Between 1970 and 1980, six nations claimed the AFCON title, which proves the unpredictable nature of the tournament. 

The tournament further grew in 1992, increasing participation to 12 teams, and expanded again in 1996 to 16. The most significant milestone came in 2019 when AFCON adopted a 24-team format. The tournament has seen many superstars display their talents and win several awards over the last several years.

AFCON has been graced by world-class players like Didier Drogba, Mohamed Salah, and Sadio Mane. Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o remains the all-time top scorer with 18 goals, ahead of Ivory Coast’s Laurent Pokou, who netted 14.

Egypt continues to be the tournament’s most decorated team with seven championships, including a remarkable hat-trick of titles from 2006 to 2010 while Cameroon follows with five titles.

In 2023, AFCON crowned Ivory Coast champions after a thrilling 2-1 final victory over Nigeria, a win that marked the Elephants’ third title.

AFCON remains a celebration of Africa’s footballing brilliance, uniting black nations in passion and pride.

List of AFCON champions since 1957

TheRadar has compiled below a complete list of 32 Africa Cup of Nations champions, from Egypt winning its first three-team tournament in 1957 to Algeria lifting the trophy in 2019 after the switch to a 24-team competition:

1957: Egypt

1959: Egypt

1962: Ethiopia

1963: Ghana

1965: Ghana

1968: Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo)

1970: Sudan

1972: Congo Brazzaville

1974: Zaire

1976: Morocco

1978: Ghana

1980: Nigeria

1982: Ghana

1984: Cameroon

1986: Egypt

1988: Cameroon

1990: Algeria

1992: Ivory Coast

1994: Nigeria

1996: South Africa

1998: Egypt

2000: Cameroon

2002: Cameroon

2004: Tunisia

2006: Egypt

2008: Egypt

2010: Egypt

2012: Zambia

2013: Nigeria

2015: Ivory Coast

2017: Cameroon

2019: Algeria

2021: Senegal

2023: Ivory Coast

CAF tribunal hands Super Eagles 3-0 win, slams Libya with hefty fine

Previously, TheRadar reported that the Confederation of African Football’s Disciplinary Committee had made a big decision in Nigeria’s Africa Cup of Nations qualifier against Libya, awarding the Super Eagles three points and three goals due to the match’s abandonment. 

Earlier reports showed that the match’s controversy began when Nigeria’s team refused to participate, citing serious safety concerns after spending more than 18 hours stranded at Al-Abraq airport.