Groups with essentially the most AFCON titles

The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) has change into a staple within the footballing calendar since its inception within the Fifties.

First held in 1957 with simply three sides, it has advanced to change into the most important footballing event in Africa, and is now held each two years in varied nations throughout the continent.

Ivory Coast are the present holders, having overwhelmed Nigeria within the remaining of the 2023 competitors due to a late winner from Sebastien Haller.

In doing so, the Elephants grew to become simply the third facet within the competitors’s historical past to raise the trophy on house soil, after a run within the competitors that had additionally seen them thrashed 4-0 within the group phases and sack head coach Jean-Louis Gasset.

However regardless of their success, they continue to be a good manner down the record on the subject of essentially the most profitable groups within the event. With the qualifiers finalised for the upcoming version in December 2025, we have taken a have a look at simply who these are.

8

8 groups (1 title every)

Senegal are the newest first-time winners (2021)

With the ultimate event having been contested by simply 16 sides till 2019, it’s a really spectacular feat that eight completely different nations have managed to get their fingers on the trophy as soon as.

Nonetheless, all of Senegal (2021), Zambia (2012), Tunisia (2004), South Africa (1996), Morocco (1976), Congo (1972), Sudan (1970) and Ethiopia (1962) are capable of say that’s exactly what they’ve executed.

Of these, Morocco’s sole win – from topping a round-robin in 1976 – is maybe essentially the most stunning given their current footballing heritage, whereas Senegal have made essentially the most of a golden era of expertise with the likes of Edouard Mendy, Kalidou Koulibaly and Sadio Mané all a part of the squad that lifted the trophy in early 2022.

Nonetheless, all eight proceed to search for that elusive second AFCON title, with none of these sides making it previous the final 16 of the competitors in its most up-to-date iteration – however six now certified for the 2025 event.

7

DR Congo

2 titles (1968, 1974)

A comparatively stunning entry on the record is DR Congo, who’ve gained the Africa Cup of Nations on two events.

Les Léopards lifted the trophy in 1968, beating Ghana 1-0 within the remaining of the eight-team event as Pierre Kalala wrote his identify into the historical past books with the one objective.

They have been knocked out within the semi-finals of the 1972 version, however clinched their second title two years later whereas often known as Zaire, beating Zambia. The ultimate led to a 2-2 draw after further time, which prompted a replay that they gained 2-0. Throughout each video games, Pierre Ndaye Mulamba scored all 4 of his nation’s targets, ending as the highest scorer within the competitors with 9 targets.

DR Congo haven’t tasted success since, and completed fourth in the newest Africa Cup of Nations by knocking out Egypt earlier than narrowly falling on the semi-final hurdle to eventual winners Ivory Coast due to a objective from Sebastien Haller.

Now certified for the 2025 event, they are going to be hoping so as to add a 3rd title to their trophy cupboard.

6

Algeria

2 titles (1990,2019)

Algeria are regulars on the Africa Cup of Nations, however have solely made the ultimate on three events. They struggled to qualify for a lot of their early historical past, earlier than ending runners-up in 1980, shedding to Nigeria within the remaining.

It took one other decade for them to return to a remaining, however they have been extra profitable on the second time of asking. Qualifying robotically as hosts, Les Fennecs did not lose a sport on their approach to the ultimate, earlier than getting revenge on Nigeria with a 1-0 win within the remaining to raise the trophy on house soil for the primary time.

For the subsequent 27 years, they made it previous the final 16 on only one event, however Algeria produced one other astonishing unbeaten run in 2019 with a remaining win over Senegal to win their second and most up-to-date AFCON as Baghdad Bounedjah scored the one objective of the sport.

They are going to be hoping they do not have to attend as lengthy once more for his or her third success, with their ticket to the 2025 event secured.

5

Nigeria

3 titles (1980, 1994, 2013)

No different crew has been across the remaining 4 of the competitors as usually as Nigeria, with the Tremendous Eagles the unlucky facet to have misplaced within the remaining most frequently.

They’ve completed third on eight events, most just lately in 2019, and their second-placed end in 2023 was their fifth within the historical past of the competitors.

Nonetheless, they’ve additionally managed to carry their nerve within the remaining on three events. Beating Algeria in 1980, they then endured a collection of near-misses for 14 years till they once more lifted the trophy, this time with a 2-1 win over Zambia within the 1994 remaining.

Their most up-to-date success got here in 2013, as they met Burkina Faso within the remaining, having drawn towards one another within the group phases.

This time, the Tremendous Eagles made no mistake, edging previous their opponents 1-0 to assert their third AFCON success, although they didn’t qualify for the competitors to defend it in 2015.

A powerhouse in African soccer and heading to Morocco for 2025, historical past means that they are going to be there or thereabouts as soon as extra.

4

Ivory Coast

3 titles (1992, 2015, 2023)

Given the legendary gamers at their disposal, it’s maybe a shock to see Ivory Coast so low on this record.

The likes of Didier Drogba, Yaya and Kolo Toure, Solomon Kalou and Gervinho all boast Premier League expertise, they usually helped Ivory Coast raise the trophy in 2015 as they beat Ghana in a tense penalty shootout.

However that was simply their second competitors win; their first got here again in 1992 on their ninth try, with the earlier eight having seen them end no larger than third.

Their most up-to-date success leaves them because the crew to beat within the 2025 competitors, and with a number of family names nonetheless littering their squad, the Elephants will likely be a power to be reckoned with.

3

Ghana

4 titles (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982)

Ghana are subsequent on the record, with their successes coming in brief, sharp bursts. The Black Stars gained the primary two competitions they certified for in 1963 and 1965 (when solely three video games have been wanted to ascertain a winner), whereas they have been runners-up within the following two tournaments.

In a weird flip, they didn’t qualify for the subsequent three editions, earlier than returning with a bang in 1978 with one other title and following that up with their fourth in 1982, beating Libya on penalties.

Since then, they’ve solely flirted with success, ending as runners-up on three events, together with most just lately in 2015 once they misplaced to the Ivory Coast on penalties.

In a shock flip of occasions, they didn’t qualify for the 2025 competitors, lacking out on the ultimate event for the primary time since 2004.

2

Cameroon

5 titles (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017)

You can not focus on Africa Cup of Nations successes with out mentioning Cameroon. The Indomitable Lions have lifted the trophy on 5 events and, in Samuel Eto’o, boast the competitors’s all-time high goalscorer, with the previous Barcelona man having discovered the web 18 instances.

His targets helped Cameroon to their event wins in 2000 and 2002, scoring 5 throughout the 2 competitions.

These successes got here 12 years after Cameroon had final lifted the trophy, with the African giants reaching the ultimate in three successive tournaments between 1984 and 1988.

It has been a fallow interval by their very own requirements since, with Eto’o’s nation solely lifting the trophy as soon as in 20 years, with their most up-to-date success coming in 2017 as they beat Egypt to safe their fifth AFCON title.

1

Egypt

7 titles (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010)

Undisputedly essentially the most profitable facet within the historical past of the event, Egypt admittedly had an early benefit.

The Pharaohs gained every of the primary two tournaments, which consisted of simply three groups. This was adopted by a run of six consecutive semi-final exits for tournaments that they had certified for.

It meant that their subsequent success did not come till 1986, beating Cameroon on penalties, and it took one other 12 years to observe that up with a fourth competitors win, this time a extra comfy 2-0 victory over South Africa.

It was within the early 2000s that Egypt really emerged because the powerhouse of African soccer, although, profitable three successive tournaments between 2006 and 2010 – turning into the one facet within the historical past of the competitors to have managed such a reign of success and doing so with out conceding a objective in any of the three finals.

14 years have now handed since their final success, however with Mohamed Salah prepared to steer the road as soon as extra into the 2025 version, they continue to be a facet greater than able to lifting a ninth title on the subsequent event.