The year 2025 promises to be a thrilling period for African football as CAF organizes a series of competitions and African teams take part in major FIFA tournaments.
From the prestigious TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) to youth championships and club tournaments, football enthusiasts can expect a packed calendar.
CAF Competitions
The first competition of the year will be the TotalEnergies African Nations Champions (CHAN) which will be hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda.
The competition featuring players palying in their domestic leagues will be played from 1–28 February 2025.
CAF’s flagship tournament, the TotalEnergies Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), will take center stage from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, in Morocco.
This event will showcase the best national teams from across the continent in the highly anticipated competition.
Before the senior AFCON, the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will also be held in Morocco from July 5 to 26.
Twelve of the continent’s top women’s teams will vie for the title, reflecting the growing strength of African women’s football.
Youth football will shine with the U-17 AFCON, hosted by Morocco from March 30 to April 19, and the U-20 AFCON in Cote d’Ivoire from April 26 to May 25.
These tournaments will also serve as qualifiers for the FIFA U-17 and U-20 World Cups.
In club football, the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, CAF Confederation Cup, and CAF Women’s Champions League will continue to captivate fans, culminating in the CAF Super Cup, where the winners of the Champions League and Confederation Cup face off.
African Teams in FIFA Tournaments
Africa will be well-represented in FIFA tournaments, starting with the FIFA Club World Cup in the USA from June 14 to July 13. Al Ahly, ES Tunis, Mamelodi Sundowns, and Wydad AC will compete against global giants like Manchester City and Real Madrid.
The Beach Soccer World Cup in Seychelles from May 1 to 11 will see Senegal and Mauritania battle for glory on the sands.
Meanwhile, the expanded FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup and U-17 World Cup will take place in Morocco (October) and Qatar (November), respectively.
Africa’s journey to the 2026 FIFA World Cup intensifies with qualifiers scheduled throughout the year in March, September, and will conclude in October.
With this diverse lineup of tournaments, 2025 promises to be a monumental year for African football on both the continental and global stages.
