Africa Cup of Nations History: Grand Stage

Few competitions carry as much emotion, politics and pride as the Africa Cup of Nations. What began as a small gathering of three teams in Khartoum has grown into a 24-nation tournament watched across the continent and around the world. Its history mirrors Africa’s own: independence, rivalry, resilience and rising ambition.

Humble Beginnings in Khartoum

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) was formed in 1957 by Egypt, Ethiopia, South Africa and Sudan. Its first project was a continental championship, staged in Khartoum in February that year. South Africa never played. Its apartheid government insisted on fielding a team selected along racial lines, and CAF refused to accept that, so the field shrank to Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia. Egypt won the inaugural title, with Mohamed Diab El-Attar scoring all four goals in a 4-0 final win over Ethiopia.

Egypt won again in 1959, and Ethiopia claimed the trophy at home in 1962. Ghana then took control of the decade. Led by Kwame Nkrumah’s vision of a united Africa, the Black Stars won in 1963 and 1965, becoming the first side to retain the title.

An Expanding Tournament

The late 1960s and 1970s brought new champions and a wider field. Congo-Kinshasa won in 1968, the year the tournament grew to eight teams. Sudan won at home in 1970, Congo-Brazzaville followed in 1972, and Zaire lifted the trophy in 1974. Morocco won its only title in 1976, decided by a final group stage instead of a single match. Ghana’s victory in 1978 was its third, which earned the country permanent possession of the original trophy. A new one was commissioned afterward.

Nigeria hosted and won in 1980, and Ghana added a fourth title in 1982. The tournament was still played in a modest format, but the football was gaining a reputation for flair and unpredictability.

The Rise of the Indomitable Lions

Cameroon defined the mid-1980s and beyond. The Indomitable Lions won in 1984 and 1988, then added further titles in 2000 and 2002, the latter two both decided by penalty shootouts or narrow margins that showed the team’s nerve. Egypt answered with wins in 1986 and 1998, while Algeria celebrated at home in 1990.

The 1992 edition in Senegal produced one of the most memorable finals. Ivory Coast and Ghana played out a goalless draw, then a marathon shootout that Ivory Coast won 11-10, the longest in the competition’s history. Nigeria took the 1994 title in Tunisia, driven by a golden generation that soon shone at the World Cup.

Mandela’s Moment

The 1996 tournament in South Africa carried enormous symbolism. Readmitted to world football after the fall of apartheid, the hosts stepped in to stage the event when Kenya could not. Bafana Bafana won the title, and Nelson Mandela presented the trophy to captain Neil Tovey. Few images in African sporting history are as powerful. The field also expanded to 16 teams that year, a format that stood for over two decades.

Egypt’s Golden Era

Between 2006 and 2010, Egypt achieved something no nation had managed before, winning three consecutive tournaments. The Pharaohs won on home soil in 2006, in Ghana in 2008 and in Angola in 2010, finishing with a record seven titles. Coach Hassan Shehata and stars such as Ahmed Hassan and Mohamed Zidan built a side that combined discipline with quality.

The 2010 tournament also had a dark side. Gunmen attacked the Togo team bus in Cabinda, Angola, killing members of the delegation and prompting Togo to withdraw. The incident forced serious conversations about security at major events.

Fairy Tales and New Champions

The 2010s delivered emotional stories. Zambia won the 2012 tournament in Gabon, beating Ivory Coast on penalties in Libreville, a city close to where the country’s national team had died in a 1993 plane crash. Nigeria won in South Africa in 2013, and Ivory Coast finally claimed a second title in 2015 after another long shootout against Ghana. Cameroon’s young squad surprised everyone in 2017, beating Egypt in the final.

Algeria won in 2019, when the tournament expanded to 24 teams and moved to Egypt during the summer. Baghdad Bounedjah’s early goal in the final against Senegal proved enough for the Desert Foxes.

A New Era

The 2021 edition, played in Cameroon in early 2022, finally gave Senegal its first title. Sadio Mané missed a penalty in the final against Egypt, then scored the decisive kick in the shootout. The event was also marred by a crush outside the Olembe Stadium that killed eight people. Ivory Coast then won in 2024 on home soil after a remarkable recovery, having nearly been eliminated in the group stage and changing coaches mid-tournament.

The 2025 tournament in Morocco produced the most controversial ending in the competition’s history. Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in extra time in the January final after some of its players had walked off in protest at a penalty awarded to the hosts. CAF’s Appeal Board later ruled that Senegal had forfeited the match and recorded the result as a 3-0 win for Morocco. Senegal took the case to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which has set a hearing for October 8, with a final ruling expected by mid-November. Until that process ends, the identity of the 2025 champion remains disputed.

Legacy

Across nearly seven decades, the Africa Cup of Nations has shaped the identity of African football. It has launched careers, healed national wounds and given smaller footballing nations a chance to shock giants. Egypt leads the roll of honour, followed by Cameroon, while Ghana, Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Senegal all hold strong claims to continental royalty. For supporters, every edition adds another chapter to a glorious story that is still unfolding.