AFCON 2025 Predictions & Betting tips
Find our free AFCON 2025 prediction, as well as our expert predictions on all the matches of the African Cup of Nations. Lots of information for your sports betting!
Africa Cup of Nations football prediction: presentation of the AFCON 2025
You can follow the African Cup of Nations at the end of 2025 on SportyTrader! From 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, the African Cup of Nations will be held in Morocco for the 35th time. A great opportunity to place bets, compare odds and follow all the matches live.
After Senegal's long-awaited maiden triumph in 2022 and Côte d'Ivoire's victory on home soil in 2024, Africa's finest nations will be trying to win the trophy and emerge as the best African team of the moment.
How do you bet on the African Cup of Nations? What do you need to know about the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations? Everything is explained below. Get your CAN predictions ready, as the tournament looks set to be hotly contested!
AFCON prediction of 2025 winner: who will win the 2025 African Cup of Nations?
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, which is being played in Morocco, could well go in favour of the home team.
As we are wont to say, and as is often the case, the venue of the Africa Cup of Nations is often decisive in determining the event's winners. For the moment, we are still at the qualifying stage, meaning that Morocco is the only officially qualified team by way of being the host nation.
Of course, the likes of Côte d'Ivoire, Algeria, Senegal, Egypt and Ghana should all be in with a shout and should not be underestimated. But, for the time being, here is our most reliable AFCON prediction for the 2025 edition: victory for Morocco!
CAN 2025 prediction - odds on the favourites for the title
- Morocco - 4.00
- Algeria - 7.00
- Egypt - 7.00
- Senegal - 7.50
- Nigeria - 10.00
- Ivory Coast - 12.00
- Mali - 15.00
- Tunisia - 15.00
- Cameroon - 17.00
Odds from Bet365
To find out all the Africa Cup of Nations odds, be sure to check out our AFCON odds comparator. We give you the best odds available from the different bookmakers for each match and each bet.
Our AFCON 2025 groups predictions
In addition to making your football predictions on the winner of the competition, you can also predict how the group stage will play out for the 2025 African Cup of Nations. Who will qualify? Who will top their group? Which teams will fail even before the knockout stages?
With qualification now underway we're still waiting until the group stages at the tournament are officially confirmed. Below we've provided you with the complete list of qualification groups, so you can more easily follow the action in the leadup to CAN 2025 in December:
- Group A: Comoros, Gambia, Madagascar, Tunisia
- Group B: Central African Republic, Gabon, Lesotho, Morocco
- Group C: Botswana, Cape Verde, Egypt, Mauritania
- Group D: Benin, Libya, Nigeria, Rwanda
- Group E: Algeria, Equatorial Guinea, Liberia, Togo
- Group F: Angola, Ghana, Niger, Sudan
- Group G: Chad, Côte d'Ivoire, Sierra Leone, Zambia
- Group H: DR Congo, Ethiopia, Guinea, Tanzania
- Group I: Eswatini, Guinea-Bissau, Mali, Mozambique
- Group J: Cameroon, Kenya, Namibia, Zimbabwe
- Group K: Congo, South Africa, South Sudan, Uganda
- Group L: Burkina Faso, Burundi, Malawi, Senegal
Our experts will be offering you predictions for this African Cup of Nations qualifying phase, so don't hesitate to place a few bets on the qualifiers. Overall, the odds offered on the matches should be good too. It would be a shame not to take advantage, given the welcome bonuses currently on offer on the market.
See the AFCON qualifying odds here!
Beginner punters - How does AFCON 2025 work?
As in the last edition, the 2025 African Cup of Nations will pit 24 qualified teams against each other. From 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, the competition is divided into two phases: the group phase and the knockout phase.
The group phase divides the African teams into 6 groups of 4, in which they must finish in the top two places to reach the last 16.
There is also the possibility of qualifying as the best third-placed team. Four of the six nations that finish third in their group will be eligible for the rest of the competition.
The second, knockout phase is then very traditional, with single matches in the last 16, followed by quarter-finals, semi-finals, a match for third place and the grand final.
If we were to sum it all up in a few points, here's what you need to remember:
- 24 qualified teams
- Group stage (6 groups of four)
- Top 2 teams in each group qualify for the round of 16
- 4 best third-placed teams (out of 6) qualify for the last 16
- Knockout matches from the round of 16 to the final
- Extra time and penalty shoot-outs in the event of a tie from the round of 16 onwards
- Third-place is determined by a match between the losing semi-finalists
In the end, the African Cup of Nations is organised in much the same way as the European Championships, so there should be no misunderstandings on the punters' side. Keep this format of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in mind when making your predictions.
How do you make a good prediction on an African Cup of Nations football match?
Would you like to predict the 2025 African Cup of Nations like an African football expert? There are a few tips you need to know.
Here, according to SportyTrader's experts, is what you need to do to ensure you are placing the best possible bets on the competition. Making informed and calculated predictions on the African Cup of Nations is undoubtedly the key.
- Watch the latest matches played in Africa
- Study the list of absentees for each AFCON match
- Know exactly what is at stake in the match
- Take into account the history of head-to-head meetings
- Take note of the venue and time of the African Cup of Nations match
5 basic practices that you absolutely must adopt before predicting African Cup of Nations matches, otherwise you could be in for some nasty surprises.
For more details on each of these five tips, please read on. The SportyTrader editorial team provides a brief explanation for each.
Tip 1: Watch the latest matches played in Africa
Naturally, the first thing you’ll want to do when predicting the result of an AFCON fixture is to watch recent matches played by the two teams.
You need to note the scores and results obtained in the last matches (wins, draws, defeats), but more importantly, the statistics obtained in the game. And don't hesitate to re-watch the matches for a closer examination.
Does the team have several clean-sheets to its name? Has it shone offensively recently? What about the number of chances created and conceded? Is the team creating a high number of expected goals? Is the team more focused on possession or is it a counter-attacking side?
The answers to these questions will give you an overall picture of each African team. Don't underestimate them in your analysis!
Tip 2: Study the list of absentees for each AFCON match
Another good idea during the African Cup of Nations is to take note of any players absent for the match you want to bet on.
As you know, modern football relies heavily on individuals, especially when the matches are expected to be tough and tense, as is often the case at the African Cup of Nations. So watch out for any key absences!
For example, if a team's first-choice goalkeeper is injured or suspended, if a team's top scorer is ill, or simply if some of the usual substitutes are unavailable, it's best to avoid betting heavily on that country's victory.
If Osimhen isn't there for Nigeria, for example, or Salah for Egypt, the difference will quickly become apparent. So get into the habit of studying the injury/suspension list for all the matches you are interested in betting on.
Tip 3: Know exactly what is at stake in the match
Whether it's the first group match, a match on the final day or a knockout match, the stakes will not necessarily be the same for the teams taking part in this African Cup of Nations. So be careful when you place your bets!
For example, in the first group match, you might expect both teams to play their cards close to their chest in a bid to avoid starting the tournament off with a defeat. This will not necessarily be the case on the final matchday, where a team might have to win to qualify for the last 16, or even where one nation is already certain of elimination.
To find the right prediction on a AFCON 2025 match, make sure you know which phase of the tournament it is, and how important the match is for the two teams. Once again, you'll avoid some of the pitfalls that are always unpleasant.
Tip 4: Consider the history of head-to-head matches
African football is full of rivalries. The tense Algeria-Egypt clash, the West African rivalry between Nigeria and Ghana, the classic Côte d'Ivoire-Cameroon and Senegal-Cameroon all spring to mind. So you need to take this into account before betting on such a duel.
More generally, you need to be aware of the psychological stakes of each African Cup match before you place a bet.
Is a team receiving heavy criticism from the home press after a disappointing first match? Is the duel between two historically rival nations? Is one team riding a lengthy winning or unbeaten streak against its opponent on the day? All of these factors can influence the outcome of a match.
So, before making your prediction on the 2025 African Cup of Nations, be sure to dedicate some time to analyse the context. The Head-to-Head analysis can be found on our predictions page.
Tip 5: Note the venue and time of the African Cup of Nations match
Another great tip is to know the venue and time of the African Cup of Nations match you want to bet on. At this time of year, it's around twenty degrees in Morocco in the afternoon, so the weather would be very pleasant for playing football!
It is therefore vital to be aware of the venue and the start time of the match, as players may not perform up to the same standard in a match played in the afternoon as they would in an early-evening start time.
All in all, these 5 tips should help you better understand the context of a AFCON 2025 match, and therefore optimise your chances of success with online bookmakers. If you don't have the time to go that far, you can simply read the predictions at the top of the page. Our experts have analysed everything in depth.
What not to do when betting on the African Cup of Nations
When it comes to bad betting practices, there are a few that you really must avoid during the African Cup of Nations. Here's what you shouldn't do, for example:
- Bet without analysing the AFCON match
- Betting based solely on a nation's prestige
- Betting on a match for which a team no longer has anything to play for
- Blindly backing the favourite with no sound reasoning
- Betting an increased amount immediately after losing a bet (chasing your losses)
- Blindly betting on your favourite African team
- Betting a high number of parlays
- Making too many goalscorer predictions
These are eight mistakes that are often made by novice punters during the African Cup of Nations which unfortunately lead to regular losses. It’s up to you to eliminate these errors from your betting process which is sure to boost your overall results!
Statistics you need to know about the African Cup of Nations
To make increasingly accurate predictions on the African Cup of Nations, it's important to know the key statistics of the tournament.
For your bets on the Under/Over, the correct score market, the handicap market, as well as many others, here are the figures to remember about the African Cup of Nations. They were recorded at the very last edition of the competition organised by CAF (CAN 2023) which was played in early 2024 in Côte d'Ivoire:
- Home wins: 38%
- Draws: 38%
- Away wins: 23%
- Average goals: 2.29 goals per match
- +0.5 goals: 90%
- -0.5 goals: 10%
- +1.5 goals: 69%
- -1.5 goals: 31%
- +2.5 goals: 38%
- -2.5 goals: 62%
- +3.5 goals: 23%
- -3.5 goals: 77%
- +4.5 goals: 6%
- -4.5 goals: 94%
- ‘Both teams to score: Yes’: 46%
- Average goals per home team: 1.40
- Average goals per away team: 0.88
- Average shots per game: 19.23
- Victory by a margin of 2 goals or more (handicap): 28.7%
- Correct score 0-0: 9.6% of matches
- Correct score 1-1: 19.2% of matches
- Most frequent score: 1-0 or 0-1 (21.1% of matches)
As you can see from these statistics, the African Cup of Nations is not necessarily the most goal-rich international competition. Matches tend to be tightly-contested and are often decided by just a single goal. These statistics are vital to keep in mind when analysing the upcoming fixtures.
For the Moroccan edition, you can focus on "Under 2.5 goals" predictions, as well as the attractive odds for backing a draw on the three-way moneyline market. Your bottom line could benefit greatly from these types of bets in certain matches.
In a nutshell: how to make winning predictions on the 2025 African Cup of Nations?
The African Cup of Nations is undoubtedly one of the most eagerly awaited football events at the end of 2025 and beginning of 2026. To make the right predictions, you should apply the many tips on this page to each match.
Take the time to analyse the context of each match, find out how the tournament is progressing, the key figures and adopt the bettor's best practices.
In addition to consulting our team's free predictions, this will enable you to make the most of your betting slips at the online sports betting sites, and avoid losing too much money on the competition.
So take a considered approach to the 2025 African Cup of Nations, base your analysis of the competition's matches on the right figures and information and you'll maximise your winnings at the bookmakers during this AFCON in Morocco. This way you can enjoy the tournament in the best possible manner and make the most of it by placing reliable sports bets.
Our AFCON Predictions of the moment
There are no previews at the moment for this competition
Best Odds to bet on AFCON 2025
Odds are not yet available for this competition.
Do you like live betting with bookmakers? You can take advantage of our AFCON Livescore page, which is 100% free and gives you all the information you need in real time. What more could you ask for?
The images featuring this article are licensed from the IMAGO website.
AFCON 2025 : Frequently Asked Questions
The 2025 African Cup of Nations will be held from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026. Get ready to be thrilled by betting on the competition.
As we are still quite a ways out until the start of the 2025 AFCON, the TV rights are still in the process of being acquired for many stations. We can, however, look at the previous 2023 edition (played in 2024) to get an idea of where the matches might be found.
Those in Nigeria had access to all 52 matches in the previous tournament by tuning into NTA (Nigerian Television Authority). The government-owned network is the largest local TV station in Nigeria and there's a good chance that 2025's tournament could be viewed there as well.
The most likely bet for South Africans will undoubtedly be SuperSport. It is the largest sports broadcasting company on the entire continent of Africa and even broadcast the draw for the 2025 AFCON qualifying groups recently. SuperSport has a history of showing international competitions and also had the rights to show all 52 matches in the previous edition.
Kenyans will likely be able to turn to KBC, a free-to-air TV channel which had the rights to broadcast all of the matches in the previous AFCON. If not there, then paid companies such as SportTimes and DStv are also available to watch in Kenya. Both could be able to secure broadcasting rights for the tournament, as they did in 2024.
Finally, those located in the UK can tune into Sky Sports as the most likely destination to watch the upcoming African Cup of Nations. They had the rights in 2024 but channels such as BBC and Eurosport have also broadcast the matches in previous iterations.
The final of the African Cup of Nations is a high-profile event in world football and as a result, sees a high number of channels and services broadcasting the match. The CAN 2023 final, for example, saw 173 different territories televising the action, making it the most-viewed AFCON final in history.
It's popularity means that it shouldn't be too difficult to watch the CAN 2025 final regardless of where you live. The stations and services that we laid out in the above FAQ will almost certainly be showing the African Cup of Nations final. Whether it's SuperSport, NTA, beIN, Canal+, BBC, Afrosport, Sky or one of the countless others; if you have access to a TV, you'll likely have access to the AFCON final.
We'll be sure to keep this page updated as we learn more about the broadcasting rights in the coming months, so stay tuned!