Africa Cup of Nations 2025/26 - AFCON Football Betting Picks
Africa Cup of Nations 2025/26 - AFCON Football Betting Picks & Predictions
The Africa Cup of Nations gets underway this month, with top teams from across the continent competing for glory. We'll have every AFCON match available to bet on at Stake Sportsbook. You can also get the latest soccer betting odds available throughout the tournament right here at Stake.
What is the Africa Cup of Nations?
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is an international soccer tournament held every 2 years and organised by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). It features teams from across Africa and takes place around the mid-point of the standard European soccer calendar.
AFCON History & Past Winners
AFCON was first held in 1957, contested between the 4 founding nations of the CAF. However, South Africa was excluded due to its apartheid player selection policy, resulting in just 3 nations taking part in a semi-final and final. Egypt were crowned winners of the inaugural Africa Cup of Nations, and hold the record for the most titles.
In the years following, the tournament was expanded to include qualification rounds and allow more teams the chance to compete. In 2017, CAF changed the schedule of the tournament to June and July, although this change was short-lived due to poor weather and fixture congestion. From 2025, AFCON was scheduled over the Christmas and New Year period for the first time due to the expanded 2026 World Cup and UEFA Champions League.
Since 1957, 15 nations have been crowned champions:
Egypt (7) - Most recently in 2010
Cameroon (5) - Most recently in 2017
Ghana (4) - Most recently in 1982
Nigeria (3) - Most recently in 2013
Ivory Coast (3) - Most recently in 2023
Algeria (2) - Most recently in 2019
DR Congo (2) - Most recently in 1974
Zambia (1) - 2012
Tunisia (1) - 2004
Sudan (1) - 1970
Senegal (1) - 2021
South Africa (1) - 1996
Ethiopia (1) - 1962
Morocco (1) - 1976
Congo (1) - 1972
Africa Cup of Nations 2025/26 Schedule & Fixtures
Morocco is the host nation of AFCON 2025, which gets underway on 21 December 2025 and finishes on 18 January 2026. 24 teams are taking part, with an initial group stage followed by the knockout rounds.
21-31 December - Group Stage
Teams were drawn into 6 groups of 4. Each team plays a match against their 3 group opponents, and the top 2 teams advance to the knockout stage. The 3rd placed team has a chance to advance to the next stage based on their overall ranking.
3-18 January - Knockout Stage
The round of 16 begins on 3 January 2026. Winners progress to the next round, while the losing team is sent home. The AFCON final takes place on 18 January at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat.
How to Bet on the AFCON and Soccer/Football Bet Types
Betting at Stake is simple, but our guide to soccer betting and ultimate sports betting guide explain how to get started if you’re a beginner. You can also follow these steps:
Log in to your Stake.com account using your password or secure passkey .
Check your current balance and make a deposit using a local currency or supported cryptocurrency if needed.
Search for the team you want to bet on or use the menu to look up Soccer > International > Africa Cup of Nations to see all live and upcoming matches.
Select a match to see the available betting markets or look at the latest outright betting odds.
Choose a bet to add to your bet slip, then enter your stake and confirm to place it.
You can bet on lots of different soccer markets at Stake, including:
Draw No Bet
Both Teams to Score
Halftime/Fulltime
Anytime Goalscorer
AFCON 2025/26 Predictions
Morocco is the current betting favorite to win the 2025/26 AFCON, partly because, as the host nation, they’ll have the home advantage at every match, but also because they have a strong squad for the tournament. Top players for Morocco include Sofyan Amrabat, Hakim Ziyech, Noussair Mazraoui, and Achraf Hakimi. Morocco recently won the 2025 African Nations Championship. However, they were knocked out of the Round of 16 against South Africa at the 2023/24 Africa Cup of Nations.
Egypt, Senegal, and Algeria are also rated highly by the oddsmakers thanks to their talented players and history in the competition. Egypt has Omar Marmoush and Mohammed Salah, while Senegal has Sadio Mané, and Algeria is captained by Riyad Mahrez. Meanwhile, Nigeria, Mali, Tunisia, and the current champions, the Ivory Coast, are outsiders but still expected to reach the knockout rounds.
Live Stream AFCON Football/Soccer Matches Online
You’ll find pre-match and live betting options on every game of the AFCON here at Stake. To see the latest live odds, just open the event page while it’s taking place. You’ll be able to react to the live scores and bet on the action as it’s happening. Selected soccer matches are also covered with free live streams at Stake, so you never have to miss out.
AFCON 2025/26 Betting Odds, Payouts & Promotions
While betting on the Africa Cup of Nations at Stake, make sure you understand how to read odds and how to get the best prices. Line shopping can help you get the best deals and maximise your profits while betting. To make it easier for you to compare odds, you can switch between formats at Stake. We allow you to read the odds in multiple ways, including decimal, fractional, and American.
Soccer & Football Betting Tips, Predictions & Strategies
Check the stats and data - You should research each match carefully before placing any bets. There’s a huge amount of data available on recent matches and head-to-heads. At the 2023/24 AFCON, an average of 2.29 goals were scored per match, with 62% of goals coming in the 2nd half.
Pay attention to form and team news - Form plays a major factor in tournaments, with the best teams often building momentum that carries them through the knockout stages. Check form in other major tournaments and recent friendlies. Look at team news and pay attention to injuries or suspensions to key players.
Make the most of all betting markets and promotions - There’s a wide range of betting options available to choose from on all AFCON matches at Stake, including moneyline bets, over/under totals, prop bets, parlays, and much more. You can also maximise your potential winnings with our betting promotions.
Check our picks and predictions - We carefully analyse and research all major soccer tournaments, including the FIFA World Cup. You can find picks and predictions for AFCON 2025 as well as World Cup predictions and World Cup outrights.
Stake VIP Club & Responsible Betting
As you bet on the AFCON at Stake, you’ll be able to earn exclusive rewards from the VIP Club. Find out more details on the VIP FAQ page to learn how to level up and unlock regular rakeback, reload bonuses, and even your own VIP host.
Remember to bet responsibly, following our Stake Smart guidelines to stay in control while enjoying soccer.
