The Teams Still Waiting: 9 African Nations Yet to Appear at AFCON

^{Photo source: CAF online}

As Morocco gets ready to host the Africa Cup of Nations 2025, the continent’s flagship tournament will bring together 24 national teams across nine stadiums in six Moroccan cities. While the competition highlights African football’s elite, it also shines a light on a group of nations that have yet to make their debut on the AFCON stage.

Nine African Teams Yet to Reach the AFCON Finals

Despite decades of qualification campaigns, nine African national teams have never appeared in the AFCON finals. These countries are Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Lesotho, Somalia, Seychelles, South Sudan, and São Tomé and Príncipe.

The reasons behind their absence vary. Some struggle with limited football infrastructure and smaller talent pools, while others face administrative or political challenges that disrupt long-term development. In several cases, domestic leagues remain semi-professional, making it difficult to compete consistently against more established African nations.

CAF’s expanded tournament format has created additional opportunities in recent years, but breaking into the finals remains a major challenge. AFCON 2025 once again underlines the gap between Africa’s football heavyweights and those still fighting for recognition.

Record Prize Money Raises the Stakes in Morocco

AFCON 2025 will also set a new benchmark financially. The Confederation of African Football has confirmed a record prize pool of $32 million, reflecting the tournament’s growing commercial and sporting importance.

The champions will receive $7 million, while the runners-up will earn $4 million. Each semi-finalist will be awarded $2.5 million, with $1.3 million allocated to teams reaching the quarter-finals. Nations eliminated in the round of 16 will collect $800,000, while group-stage participants will also benefit, ensuring financial returns for every team involved.

As Morocco prepares to host Africa’s biggest football event, AFCON 2025 will represent both ambition and contrast: a showcase of continental excellence, and a reminder of the nations still waiting for their moment on Africa’s greatest stage.

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