The Africa Cup of Nations is rapidly cementing its status as one of the fastest-growing sporting competitions in the world after preliminary research revealed a 61% increase in global viewership for the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025.
The remarkable growth, according to early figures released by independent research agencies, highlights the expanding global appetite for African football and the success of the tournament’s new media distribution strategy.
A comprehensive report detailing the tournament’s performance will soon be released by global research giant Nielsen, which is expected to provide deeper insights into the reach and commercial value generated by the 2025 edition.
For now, the early numbers already tell a powerful story: the Africa Cup of Nations is not just growing — it is exploding into new global markets.
Europe Drives the Boom
Much of the surge in viewership came from Europe, where audiences across several major territories tuned in to watch Africa’s biggest football spectacle.
Countries such as the United Kingdom and France played a particularly significant role in driving the growth of the tournament’s global audience.
In the UK alone, the final of Africa Cup of Nations 2025 attracted over three million viewers on Channel 4, a strong indication that European audiences are increasingly embracing African football.
Germany also recorded an all-time high reach of more than four million viewers during the tournament, another sign that the AFCON brand is gaining significant traction across the continent.
Strategic Partnerships Fuel Expansion
A major factor behind the surge has been the commercial partnership between Confederation of African Football and global sports marketing agency IMG.
Through this collaboration, the number of international broadcast partners increased by 50% compared with the 2023 edition held in Côte d’Ivoire.
That expansion opened the door to several new markets watching AFCON for the very first time.
Broadcast deals were secured across multiple territories, including Japan through DAZN, South Korea via NAVER and STN, and China through platforms such as Douyin.
Additional agreements were also signed in Mexico with Fox Sports Mexico and Claro Sports, while Spain’s coverage was secured through Movistar.
Other new territories included Colombia through Win Sports, Greece through ERT, Norway via VG, Cyprus through Cablenet, and the Maldives with Medianet.
These deals ensured that the Morocco 2025 tournament became the most widely distributed AFCON edition in history.
South America Emerging as New Frontier
Another surprising development has been the tournament’s growing popularity in South America.
Brazil recorded more than 24 million viewers during the competition, reflecting a surge in interest among South American audiences.
Mexico also contributed nearly two million viewers, strengthening CAF’s footprint in the region.
The numbers suggest that South America is evolving into a promising new audience base for African football ; not just a temporary spike but a growing long-term market.
Commercial Value Rising
Beyond audience numbers, AFCON Morocco 2025 also delivered major commercial gains.
Media exposure for brand partners in Europe and South America rose by more than 65%, largely due to CAF’s strategy of producing in-house shoulder programming and distributing highlight packages globally.
The financial impact has been equally impressive.
Key metrics include:
- 32% increase in media value for partners in the European market
- 35% rise in overall media rights revenue across Europe, South America, and Asia
- 50% growth in international broadcast partners compared with the previous edition
AFCON’s Global Rise
For decades, the Africa Cup of Nations has been Africa’s premier football tournament, producing unforgettable moments and showcasing some of the continent’s greatest talents.
But the numbers from Morocco 2025 suggest something bigger is happening.
The tournament is no longer just a continental spectacle; it is rapidly evolving into a global sporting property competing for attention alongside the world’s biggest competitions.
With the full Nielsen report still to come, the early signs point to a competition whose reach, commercial power, and global relevance are rising faster than ever.
