AFCON Final History: Past Winners and Memorable Matches
- The Africa Cup of Nations final has been the stage for legendary moments, from record-breaking champions to unforgettable matches
- Classic finals, such as Zambia’s 2012 upset over the Ivory Coast, highlight the tournament’s unpredictability and drama
- North African teams like Egypt, Morocco, and Algeria have historically dominated AFCON
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The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) final has produced some of the most iconic moments in African football history.
Since the tournament’s inception in 1957, the showpiece match has crowned champions, created legends, and delivered unforgettable drama.
Source: Getty Images
As the 2025 AFCON final between Senegal and Morocco is scheduled for Sunday, January 18, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, attention once again turns to the competition’s rich past, from record-breaking champions to historic finals that shaped the tournament’s legacy.
Complete list of AFCON winners
The Africa Cup of Nations has been won by a select group of nations, with a handful of teams, mostly North African countries, dominating the honours list, as noted by Wikipedia.
Most AFCON titles:
Egypt – 7 titles (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)
Cameroon – 5 titles (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)
Ghana – 4 titles (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)
Nigeria – 3 titles (1980, 1994, 2013)
Ivory Coast – 3 titles (1992, 2015, 2023)
Algeria – 2 titles (1990, 2019)
DR Congo – 2 titles (1968, 1974)
Zambia – 1 title (2012)
Tunisia – 1 title (2004)
Sudan – 1 title (1970)
Senegal – 1 title (2021)
South Africa – 1 title (1996)
Ethiopia – 1 title (1962)
Morocco – 1 title (1976)
Congo – 1 title (1972)
Memorable AFCON finals in history
Over the years, AFCON finals have delivered classic encounters, penalty shootout drama, and late goals that live long in the memory.
In the maiden Africa Cup of Nations final, in 1957, Egypt dominated Ethiopia 4-0 on February 16 at the Municipal Stadium in Khartoum, with the legendary Mohamed Diab Al-Attar scoring all four goals.
During the 1963 AFCON final, Ghana defeated Sudan 3-0 at the Accra Sports Stadium on December 1 for the country's first-ever continental crown. Edward Aggrey-Fynn put the Black Stars ahead via a 62nd-minute penalty before Edward Acquah netted twice to seal the historic victory.
Another remarkable Africa Cup of Nations final match was the 1974 edition between Zaire, now DR Congo, and Zambia. The original final ended 2-2 at the Cairo International Stadium on March 12, 1974, but the Congolese won the replay 2-0 two days later at the same venue.
Pierre Ndaye Mulamba, who scored a brace in the previous match, bagged another couple of goals to secure his country's maiden AFCON title.
Source: Twitter
The next fascinating AFCON final is the 1980 showdown between host nation Nigeria and Algeria. Brazilian tactician Otto Glória guided the Super Eagles to a commanding 3-0 success against the North African at the Surulere Stadium in Lagos on March 22, 1980.
Shooting Stars legend Patrick Olusegun Odegbami struck twice, and Mudashiru Lawal added a third goal to help Nigeria land its first Africa Cup of Nations silverware.
AFCON final history will not be complete without the 1984 Cameroon-Nigeria battle at the Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium in Abidjan, when an unfancied expatriate coach, Radivoje Ognjanović from Serbia, led the Indomitable Lions to beat the Super Eagles 3-1 for their first continental honour.
There is also the 1992 final between the Ivory Coast and Ghana that saw the Ivorians win the trophy on penalties after a 0-0 outcome after extra time in Dakar. 24 spot kicks were taken, with Yeo Martial's side scoring 11 and missing one, whilst Otto Pfister's Black Stars converted 10 of their attempts and missed two.
Notably, the tournament’s best player, Abedi Ayew “Pele,” was absent from the final following a suspension incurred in the semifinal clash with Nigeria.
Source: Getty Images
Moreover, Egypt bounced back again to assert its dominance in African football, achieving a remarkable hat-trick of AFCON titles. The Pharaohs lifted the trophy on home soil in 2006, edging out the Ivory Coast 4-2 on penalties, and thrilling local fans with a perfect blend of skill and determination.
Led by a certain Mohamed Aboutrika, they successfully defended their crown two years later in 2008 on the pitches of Ghana, accounting for Cameroon 1-0 in Accra.
The historic run continued in 2010 in Angola, where Egypt completed an unprecedented three consecutive Africa Cup of Nations victories, defeating Ghana 1-0 and cementing their status as one of Africa’s greatest footballing nations.
In recent years, Zambia pulled a major upset by beating a star-studded Ivory Coast team, led by Chelsea great Didier Drogba, in the 2012 AFCON final in Libreville, Gabon. Hervé Renard, who would later lead the Francophone African nation to the 2015 title, was in charge of Zambia, as they triumphed 8-7 on penalties.
During the 2021 final in Cameroon, a Sadio Mane-led Senegal also needed a penalty shootout victory to lift their maiden AFCON title at the expense of Egypt, the same team the Teranga Lions eliminated in the 2025 AFCON semi-finals on Wednesday, January 14.
Source: Getty Images
As Cote d'Ivoire won the 2023 Africa Cup of Nations on home soil, beating Nigeria 2-1 in the final on February 11, 2024, all eyes are now on whether Morocco could match that performance when they face a solid Senegalese side in the CAF 2025 AFCON final on Sunday.
Who will the 2025 AFCON final?
Earlier, YEN.com.gh reported that Opta’s Supercomputer has updated its projections for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. The analysis indicates that Morocco’s Atlas Lions remain the favourites to claim the trophy, with a 22.52% probability of winning.
Nevertheless, Senegal has demonstrated formidable form and cannot be overlooked as they prepare for Sunday’s final.
Source: YEN.com.gh
