The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is upon us, with stars from across the Premier League and beyond heading out to Morocco with the aim of glory.
ESPN has you covered on all you need to know for the biannual tournament, including how to watch each game and the players to look out for.
When and where is the tournament?
The tournament kicked off on Dec. 21 and ends with the final on Jan. 18, with 52 matches across nine stadiums.
Guinea were originally going to host the tournament, but had its rights stripped in 2023. The Confederation of Africa Football (CAF) stated that "the infrastructure and facilities are not appropriate."
Following a second bidding process, that privilege instead goes to Morocco.
Morocco, one of the favourites for the tournament, started the tournament with a group-stage clash against Comoros.
Which nations are in which groups?
Group A: Morocco, Mali, Zambia, Comoros
Group B: Egypt, South Africa, Angola, Zimbabwe
Group C: Nigeria, Tunisia, Uganda, Tanzania
Group D: Senegal, Congo DR, Benin, Botswana
Group E: Algeria, Burkina Faso, Equatorial Guinea, Sudan
Group F: Ivory Coast, Cameroon, Gabon, Mozambique
What are the venues?
There are six host cities, and nine stadiums for this year's tournament.
The largest venue, Rabat's Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, will host the opening fixture and the final, on top of other games.
- Adrar Stadium, Agadir (capacity 45,480)
- Mohammed V Stadium, Casablanca (capacity 45,000)
- Fez Stadium, Fez (capacity 45,000)
- Marrakesh Stadium, Marrakesh (capacity 45,240)
- Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat (capacity 68,700)
- Moulay Hassan Stadium, Rabat (capacity 22,000)
- Prince Moulay Abdellah Olympic Annex Stadium, Rabat (capacity 21,000)
- Al Barid Stadium, Rabat (capacity 18,000)
- Ibn Batouta Stadium, Tangier (capacity 75,000)
How can I watch?
In the UK and Ireland, all matches will be live across Channel 4's network, airing on Channel 4, E4, 4Seven, Streaming and Channel 4 Sport YouTube.
In the U.S., you can catch the coverage on beIN Sports.
Who are the players to look out for?
ESPN has a comprehensive guide on which Premier League clubs have the most players heading out to Morocco -- which they are required to do by Dec. 15 -- and there will be several stars from all of Europe's top leagues on show.
Mohamed Salah is arguably the star attraction, not just for his performances on the pitch. The Liverpool forward is Egypt's talisman, and there will be extra focus on this year with his club future in doubt.
Achraf Hakimi is Morocco's captain. One of the best right-backs in world football, he was a key cog in Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League triumph last year.
Nigeria has plenty of star power in the forward positions with Galatasaray's Victor Osimhen and Atalanta's Ademola Lookman, while Cameroon will be hope to be driven forward by Bryan Mbeumo, who has impressed since joining Manchester United in the summer.
As ever, there will be plenty of young players looking to make an impact, too. Look out for the likes of Eliesse Ben Seghir (Morocco), Ibrahim Maza (Algeria) Lamine Camara (Senegal), Etta Eyong (Cameroon) and Oumar Diakité (Ivory Coast).
What is the full schedule?
All kickoff times are GMT, all TV info for UK and Ireland
Monday, Jan. 5
Round of 16: Egypt vs. Benin, kickoff 4 p.m. (4Seven / Channel 4 Streaming)
Round of 16: Nigeria vs. Mozambique, kickoff 7 p.m. (4Seven / Channel 4 Streaming)
Tuesday, Jan. 6
Round of 16: Algeria vs. DR Congo, kickoff 4 p.m. (4Seven / Channel 4 Streaming)
Round of 16: Ivory Coast vs. Burkino Faso, kickoff 7 p.m. (4Seven / Channel 4 Streaming)
Dates for later stages of AFCON 2025
Quarterfinals: Friday, Jan. 9 2026 and Saturday, Jan. 10 2026
Semifinals: Wednesday, Jan. 14 2026
Third-place playoff: Saturday, Jan. 17 2026
Final: Sunday, Jan. 18 2026