When walking the streets of Morocco, there is a buzz in the air. The streets are busier, with tourists from an array of African countries discovering all that Morocco has to offer. Cafés fill up in the late afternoon, families gather around their television, and the cheers of the fans echo through the biggest stadiums of Morocco. The reason of this excitement? The 2025 African Cup of Nations (also referred to as AFCON or CAN) is being hosted in multiple cities across Morocco.
AFCON was launched in 1957, with initially only three teams competing. Now, in 2025, Morocco welcomed 24 African teams to play in this highly anticipated competition[1]. The Cup has broken its own viewership records, with over 1.4 billion people watching on television[2]. Some might think that this competition is just another football tournament, but nothing could be further from the truth; the Africa Cup of Nations represents so much more.
The importance of AFCON in representation
The AFCON plays an important role in representing African sports, culture, and heritage. Having these record-breaking viewership numbers shows the world the incredible talent and the rich cultural identities that these African countries possess. The biggest football players from the African continent, like Mohamed Salah (Egypt) and Achraf Hakimi (Morocco), get to be even more at the frontstage while representing their respective countries. Although these African players have an undeniable presence at their football clubs all over the world – just think of the latest Salah controversy at his club Liverpool – watching them play for their country, gives the younger African generation pride for their country in their players and nations. Overall, AFCON creates strong identities. Take the Moroccan identity – seen in the use of zellij in the marketing—that shows the importance of representing your country[3].
How AFCON create a sense of community
Football undoubtedly brings communities together. I was lucky enough to attend the Morocco vs. Zambia game on the 29th of December. Though I am not Moroccan, seeing how the Moroccan community came together to encourage their team made me realize how important it is to have these shared moments together. From the prideful singing of the national anthem and the fan chants to the booming cheers every time Morocco scored a goal, it showed me how this sport brings people together in celebration. Besides football, the CAF (Confederation of African Football) created Fan Zones across the country where performances are held to entertain fans. These Fan Zones deepen the bond between people and create an overall exciting experience to be a part of[4].
What this competition tells us
AFCON shows viewers all around the world the incredible talent that can be found in Africa, with teams demonstrating technique, leadership, and power on the field. It also shows the economic developments and progress, seen with the impressive stadiums and improvements in infrastructure. A competition like this allows African countries to take initiative and allow them to be in control of their own narrative. Thus, sport competitions like these strengthen culture and make important stories heard.
[1] https://www.ucfb.ac.uk/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-afcon/
[2] https://supersport.com/hereforher/news/1c38f943-a2d3-407e-b9ee-ca7d9a1550f4/afcon-2024-viewership-sets-new-records-for-african-sport-audiences
[3] https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2025/01/165384/moroccans-celebrate-inclusion-of-zellige-in-afcon-2025-logo/
[4] https://www.cafonline.com/afcon2025/news/totalenergies-caf-afcon-morocco-2025-fan-zones-to-deliver-night-of-music-and-culture/