The African Cup of Nations (AFCON) has been a stage for exceptional football talent, thrilling matches, and historical moments since its inception in 1957.
Over the years, the tournament has witnessed remarkable performances, and several records have been set by players, teams, and coaches.
Here are 10 incredible AFCON facts and records that highlight the rich history of this prestigious competition.
- 1. Record Prize Money
- 2. Expanded Format
- 3. Most Defeats in AFCON finals
- 4. Goal-scoring goalkeeper
- 5. Most AFCON Matches Played by a Player
- 6. AFCON’s All-Time Top Scorer
- 7. Players with Most AFCON Appearances
- 8. Oldest goalscorer in AFCON
- 9. Country With The Most AFCON Titles
- 10. Youngest Goal Scorer in AFCON
- 11. Fastest Goal in AFCON
- 12. Players with the Most AFCON Titles
- 13. Coaches with the Most AFCON Titles
- 14. First Foreign Coach To Lift the AFCON Trophy
- 15. AFCON Titles as Player and Coach
- 16. Most Goals in a Single AFCON Match
- 17. Most Goals in a Single AFCON Tournament
- 18. Most Decorated Team in AFCON
- 19. The first AFCON tournament took place in Sudan in 1957
1. Record Prize Money
- $7 million
The current AFCON edition offers the largest cash prize ever seen in the tournament, with the winning team taking home an impressive $7 million. This marks a substantial 40% increase compared to the previous edition.
Such a significant incentive is bound to elevate the excitement and level of competition in the tournament.
2. Expanded Format
- 24 Teams
The AFCON 2024 edition marks a notable expansion, accommodating 24 teams for the first time, a major increase from the 16-team format in the preceding tournament.
This expansion promises a higher number of matches, amplifying the potential for upsets, and creating opportunities for unexpected heroes to emerge from the diverse footballing landscape of the continent.
3. Most Defeats in AFCON finals
- Ghana: 5 out of 9 finals
Ghana’s Black Stars have experienced the most defeats in AFCON finals, losing five times out of nine attempts.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria closely trail with four losses in seven final appearances.
Cameroon’s Indomitable Lions have often stood as formidable opponents, being the source of many challenges for the Eagles in these crucial final matches.
4. Goal-scoring goalkeeper
- Kennedy Mweene
Kennedy Mweene holds the unique record of being the first and only goalkeeper to score a goal in the Africa Cup of Nations.
This historic moment occurred in 2013 when Mweene, representing Zambia, found the back of the net in a match against Nigeria.
5. Most AFCON Matches Played by a Player
- 36 Appearances, 8 Editions
Rigobert Song, the legendary defender from Cameroon, etches his name in AFCON history as the player with the most appearances in the tournament.
Song participated in a staggering 36 matches across eight different editions, showing his enduring commitment to the competition.
6. AFCON’s All-Time Top Scorer
- 18 Goals, 29 Games, 6 Editions
Samuel Eto’o, one of Africa’s greatest strikers, holds the distinction of being the top scorer in AFCON history. The Cameroonian maestro found the back of the net 18 times in 29 AFCON games spanning six editions from 2000 to 2010, leaving an indelible mark on the tournament.
7. Players with Most AFCON Appearances
- Rigobert Song and Ahmed Hassan’s Journey: 8 Tournaments, 1996 to 2010.
Rigobert Song and Ahmed Hassan share the record for the most AFCON tournament appearances by a player, with both stalwarts representing their respective nations, Cameroon and Egypt, in a remarkable eight editions.
Interestingly, both players made their tournament debuts in 1996 and concluded their AFCON careers in 2010.
8. Oldest goalscorer in AFCON
- Hossam Hassan: 39 yrs
Hossam Hassan of Egypt holds the record of being the oldest goalscorer in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.
This milestone was achieved on February 3, 2006, during a quarterfinal match against DR Congo, where he scored in Egypt’s 4-1 victory.
At the time of this significant goal, Hossam Hassan was 39 years and 174 days old, showing both his longevity in the sport and his enduring impact on Egyptian football.
9. Country With The Most AFCON Titles
- Egypt’s 7 AFCON Titles, Latest in 2010
Egypt stands tall as the nation with the most AFCON titles, having won the prestigious tournament seven times. Their latest triumph came in 2010, solidifying Egypt’s status as a powerhouse in African football.
10. Youngest Goal Scorer in AFCON
- Shiva N’zigou : 16 yrs
Shiva N’zigou from Gabon holds the record as the youngest player to score in an Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) competition.
At the age of 16 years and 93 days, he achieved this milestone by scoring for Gabon in a match against South Africa on January 23, 2000, even though his team ultimately faced a 3-1 defeat
11. Fastest Goal in AFCON
- Ayman Mansour: 23 sec
In 1994, Ayman Mansour etched his name in AFCON history by scoring the fastest goal ever in the tournament.
He secured this record by opening the scoring just 23 seconds into Egypt’s match against Gabon, contributing to Egypt’s eventual 4-0 victory.
Mansour’s lightning-quick goal remains a remarkable feat in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.
12. Players with the Most AFCON Titles
- Ahmed Hassan and Essam El Hadary: Four-Time AFCON Champions.
Ahmed Hassan and Essam El Hadary, both hailing from Egypt, share the distinction of winning the most AFCON titles as players. The duo lifted the trophy four times in 1998, 2006, 2008, and 2010, contributing significantly to Egypt’s dominance in the competition.
13. Coaches with the Most AFCON Titles
- Charles Gyamfi and Hassan Shehata: Four-Time Champions Each.
Ghana’s Charles Gyamfi and Egypt’s Hassan Shehata share the honor of being the coaches with the most AFCON titles, each winning the tournament four times. Notably, Hassan Shehata achieved the remarkable feat of securing three consecutive titles, showcasing his coaching prowess.
14. First Foreign Coach To Lift the AFCON Trophy
- Pal Titkos
In 1959, Pal Titkos made history by becoming the first foreign coach to lead a team to victory in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Serving as the coach for Egypt’s national team, Titkos played a pivotal role in guiding them to their first AFCON title in that year.
15. AFCON Titles as Player and Coach
- Mahmoud El-Gohary and Stephen Keshi’s Historic Feat.
Mahmoud El-Gohary from Egypt and the late Stephen Keshi from Nigeria hold a unique distinction in AFCON history, having won the title both as players and coaches for their respective nations. This rare accomplishment highlights their exceptional contributions to African football.
16. Most Goals in a Single AFCON Match
- Laurent Poko’s Magnificence: 5 Goals in 1970’s 6-1 Triumph.
In 1970, Laurent Poko of Ivory Coast etched his name in the record books by scoring five goals in a single AFCON match. Poko’s remarkable feat occurred during a 6-1 victory against Ethiopia, showcasing his goal-scoring prowess on the grand stage.
17. Most Goals in a Single AFCON Tournament
- Ndiaye Mulamba: 9 Goals in 1974
Ndiaye Mulamba of DR Congo secured his place in AFCON history in 1974 by becoming the highest goal-scorer in a single tournament.
Mulamba’s outstanding performance saw him netting nine goals, earning him the Golden Boot and leaving an enduring legacy.
18. Most Decorated Team in AFCON
- Super Eagles: 15 Medals, 3 Golds, 4 Silvers, 8 Bronzes.
The Super Eagles of Nigeria boast an impressive record of winning a total of 15 AFCON medals, making them the team with the most honors in the tournament.
Nigeria’s medal tally includes three gold medals, four silver medals, and eight bronze medals, underscoring their consistent success on the continental stage.
19. The first AFCON tournament took place in Sudan in 1957
- Only three countries, hosts Sudan, Egypt, and Ethiopia, took part in the first tournament in February 1957 and there was no qualifying competition.
- South Africa was also invited to the first Africa Cup of Nations tournament in 1957 but their invitation was later withdrawn as a result of the country’s apartheid laws.
- Egypt defeated hosts Sudan in the first game played at the AFCON winning 2-1 on 10th January 1957.
- Raafat Attia scored the first goal at an AFCON tournament when he opened the scoring for Egypt in their 2-1 Semi-final win over hosts Sudan in 1957.
- Egypt defeated Ethiopia 4-0 in the final to win the first AFCON Tournament in 1957.
- Egypt won the first two AFCON Tournaments in 1957 and 1959 while they were runners-up in 1962, losing to hosts Ethiopia in the final.
- Cote d’Ivoire are hosting the Africa Cup of Nations for a second time, they hosted the tournament for the first time in 1984.
- When the Cote d’Ivoire hosted the AFCON in 1984 eight nations participated five of those countries will be joining the hosts again they are Algeria, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, and Nigeria. Missing out are Malawi and Togo.
- Egypt has won the most AFCON Titles (seven), followed by Cameroon (five), Ghana (four), Nigeria (three) the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the Ivory Coast (two each).
- Egypt and Ghana have both reached 9 AFCON Finals while Egypt has won seven, Ghana has four wins and Cameroon has played in seven finals winning five.
- Cote d’Ivoire has appeared in four AFCON Finals in 1992, 2006, 2012, and 2015, and in 480 minutes of play in AFCON finals have failed to produce a single goal they won on penalties after extra time in 1992 and 2015 and lost on penalties after extra time in 2006, 2012 with all four games ending 0-0.
- Cameroonian Samuel Eto’o is the leading overall Cup of Nations scorer, notching 18 goals in six tournaments between 2000 and 2010.
- Egypt goalkeeper Essam El Hadary became the oldest player at 44 years and 21 days to feature in the tournament when he faced Cameroon in the 2017 final in Libreville as Egypt lost.
- Only once in 2013 when South Africa played out a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde the opening game of the Africa Cup of Nations ended 0-0.
- The last host nation to reach the AFCON Finals was Egypt who won the title on home soil in 2006.
- Egypt have reached the AFCON Final in five of the last six tournaments that they participated in winning in 2006, 2008, and 2010 while they were runners up in 2017 and the 2021 edition. They only failed to do so in 2019 as hosts.
- Four players Cameroon’s Samuel Eto’o, Ghanaian duo Asamoah Gyan as well as Andre Ayew, and Zambia’s Kalusha Bwalya have scored in 6 AFCON Tournaments no players have scored in more editions of the competition than them.
- The 2023 AFCON will be the 34th edition of the tournament since its founding in 1957.
- The AFCON has been expanded from a 16 tournament which it has been since 1996 to a 24-team event in 2019.
- This is the third edition to have 24 teams participating.
- 16 Players have scored 17 hat-tricks at the Africa Cup of Nations but none since Soufiane Alloudi scored three goals in Morocco’s 5-1 triumph over Namibia in the 2008 Group Stages.
- Egypt has had five different players scoring six AFCON hat-tricks no country has managed as many players to have scored a hat trick at the tournament.
- The first hat-trick at the Africa Cup of Nations was scored by Ad-Diba who scored all four of Egypt’s goals in their 4-0 triumph in the 1957 final victory over Ethiopia.
- Egypt’s Hassan El-Shazly is the only player to have scored multiple hattricks at the Africa Cup of Nations, doing so in 1963 and 1970.
- Egypt is the only team to have two players score a hat trick in the same game Hassan El-Shazly and Mohammed Morsi Hussein netted all their goals in a 6-3 win over Nigeria in a 1963 group-stage encounter.
- Egypt’s Ahmed Hassan and Cameroon’s Rigobert Song hold the record for the most number of AFCON participations with each player having featured in 8 finals tournaments in 1996, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008, and 2010. A record that could be tied by Ghana’s Andre Ayew at the next edition.
- South Africa finished 1st (1996), 2nd (1998), and 3rd (2000) in the first three AFCON tournaments that they participated in.
- Ghana’s Charles Gyamfi (1963–1965, 1982) and Egypt’s Hassan Shehata (Egypt 2006–2008-2010) are the only coaches to have won the title three times, Shehata is the only coach to have won the title in three successive tournaments.
- Two persons Egypt’s Mahmoud El-Gohary (1959 as player, 1998 as coach) and Stephen Keshi, of Nigeria (1994 as player, 2013 as coach) have won the AFCON as a player and coach.
- French man Herve Renard is the only coach to have won the AFCON with two different countries Zambia in 2012 and Cote d’Ivoire in 2015.
- Senegal coach Aliou Cisse holds the unwanted record of losing in the final as both a player (2002) and coach (2019). He also now has won the tournament as a coach lifting the title with Senegal at the 2021 edition.
- France has had five different coaches win six AFCON tournaments the most of any country.
- In 2004 Frenchman Roger Lemmere became the first coach to win the AFCON and the UEFA European Championship when he led Tunisia to the title, in 2000 he led France to the European Championships.
- 44 Different African Nations have participated at the AFCON Comoros and Gambia were debutants at the last edition in Cameroon, there are now newcomers in Cote d’ Ivoire.
- Egypt (1957), Ghana (1963), and South Africa (1996) are the only teams to have won the tournament in their debut appearance.
- Starting in 2008 Ghana has reached the AFCON Semi-finals in six of the last eight tournaments and has been beaten finalists twice in that time losing to Egypt in 2010 and Cote D’Ivoire in 2017.
- Tunisia have qualified for their 16th successive AFCON tournament a run started in 1994. No team has ever managed 16 successive qualifications.
- Egypt has played more games at the AFCON than any other team (107), they have won more matches than any other team (60), Ghana has played 102 games and won 54. Cote d’Ivoire and Nigeria will join the centenary club they have currently played 99 and 97 games respectively at the finals.
- Ndaye Mulamba scored 9 goals for DR Congo at the 1974 AFCON no player has managed more in a single tournament.
- The AFCON trophy has changed three times in history the first trophy was the Abdelaziz Abdallah Salem Trophy the next trophy was the African Unity trophy, a new trophy that was commissioned in 2001 after Cameroon won the previous trophy for a third time in 2000.
- Twelve former African Champions will be making their way to Cote d’Ivoire for the 2023 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
- The top 15 ranked African teams have all qualified for the 2023 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
- Five Southern African teams have qualified for the 2023 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the most the COSAFA region has had at a single final.
- Each winner of the last 25 editions of the tournament from 1974 has qualified for the current edition of the finals, the last winner to miss out is the 1972 champions Congo.
- Every finalist from the 1984 edition has reached the 2023 edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, the last team to reach the final who have not qualified are 1982 runners-up Libya.
