Channel 4, a commercial broadcaster in the UK, has secured exclusive rights to broadcast the upcoming 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). The agreement with African soccer’s governing body, CAF, will allow Channel 4 to air all 52 matches of the tournament. This marks a significant milestone as it will be the first time that the entire tournament will be available free-to-air in the UK.
The coverage of this top-tier national teams soccer competition is set to take place from December 21, 2025, through January 18, 2026. The matches will be held across nine stadiums in Morocco and produced by international sports marketing heavyweight IMG.
Channel's coverage extends beyond its main linear channel and includes E4 and 4Seven channels, Channel's streaming service and its YouTube sports channel. This broad distribution ensures that fans have multiple avenues for viewing their favourite teams compete.
Star-studded lineup expected for AFCON
The tournament is expected to feature several Premier League players including Liverpool's Egyptian star Mohamed Salah along with other notable players such as Manchester City’s Omar Marmoush (Egypt), Manchester United’s Bryan Mbeumo (Cameroon), Everton’s Senegalese duo Iliman Ndiaye and Idrissa Gueye among others.
In addition to Channel's acquisition of broadcasting rights in the UK market; SuperSport - an African pay-TV heavyweight - was awarded a wide range of rights for AFCON across sub-Saharan Africa last month. AzamTV also secured rights for nine markets including Tanzania, Kenya and Uganda ensuring live high-definition broadcasts throughout these regions.
CAF general secretary, Véron Mosengo-Omba, said:
“The agreement between CAF and Channel 4 is historic in many ways, and it ensures that the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will live in every household in the UK for the first time in the history of the competition.
“It affirms AFCON’s position as one of the prime and much sought-after assets in global football.”
Scheduling challenges & future plans
Securing a permanent slot on the international calendar has been challenging due to conflicts with other FIFA-backed tournaments. The 2025 AFCON was initially scheduled for mid-2025 but was postponed due to a clash with the first edition of the expanded 32-team FIFA Club World Cup in the US.
Looking ahead, Morocco has stepped in as a replacement host for this year’s edition after Guinea was stripped of its rights over security and infrastructure concerns. The biennial AFCON is set to take place across Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania in 2027.
In other news, CAF has announced a new deal with Japanese video game developer Konami. As official gaming sponsor of the 2025 and 2027 AFCON tournaments, Konami secures exclusive gaming rights to recreate AFCON within its soccer video game eFootball franchise. This partnership will allow fans worldwide to experience the thrill of AFCON through an immersive gaming experience further expanding the reach and impact of this prestigious tournament.
