The 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations is set to begin on Sunday, December 21, 2025, in Morocco, uniting the continent for its premier football spectacle. The opening match will see the host nation, Morocco's Atlas Lions, take on the Coelacanths of Comoros at the renovated 68,000-seater Complexe Sportif Moulay Abdellah in Rabat, which will also host the tournament final.
Legends of Longevity: The Tournament's Iron Men
Ahead of the kick-off, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) has highlighted several enduring records. The mark for the most tournaments played is shared by four legends. Cameroon's Rigobert Song and Egypt's Ahmed Hassan were the first to achieve the feat, appearing in eight consecutive editions from 1996 to 2010.
Their legacy was continued by Ghana's Andre Ayew (2008-2023) and Tunisia's Youssef Msakni (2010-2023). Furthermore, Song and Ayew also hold the joint record for the most matches played in AFCON history, with 36 appearances each.
Glory and Goals: Records of Triumph and Scoring
Egypt's dominance as the most successful nation with seven titles is reflected in individual achievements. Two of their icons, Ahmed Hassan and goalkeeper Essam El-Hadary, stand alone as the only players to have won the AFCON trophy four times. They were part of the 1998 winning squad and then led the team to an unprecedented three-peat in 2006, 2008, and 2010.
In the goalscoring department, the records are held by true greats. The all-time top scorer is Cameroonian legend Samuel Eto'o, who netted 18 goals across six tournaments. The record for the most goals in a single match belongs to Ivorian Laurent Pokou, who scored five in a 6-1 win over Ethiopia in 1970.
Egyptian striker Hassan El-Shazly holds the record for the most hat-tricks (two), while his compatriot Ayman Mansour scored the fastest goal in just 23 seconds back in 1994. Notably, former Super Eagles captain William Troost-Ekong has made history as the highest-scoring defender in the competition, with five goals to his name.
Historic Matches and Future Predictions
The highest-scoring match in AFCON history remains Egypt's 6-3 victory over Nigeria in 1963, a game that featured hat-tricks from Egypt's Hassan El-Shazly and teammate Reda. As the football world looks forward to the 2025 edition, analytical predictions are already making headlines.
Opta's supercomputer has named host nation Morocco as the favourite to win AFCON 2025. The Atlas Lions, who made history by reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, will be aiming to capitalize on home advantage and lift the trophy for the second time.
As the continent's best prepare to write a new chapter in Morocco, the legendary records of Eto'o, Song, Hassan, and others stand as a testament to the rich history and enduring magic of the Africa Cup of Nations.
