Top 10 country to win the AFCON title.
AFCON: Africa Cup of Nations
The Africa Cup of Nations Cup (AFCON) was first held in 1957. And, whilst the continent contains fifty-eight of the world’s countries, only three of these, Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia took part in the first tournament. Over the last six decades the numbers have swelled.
10. Tunisia (1 title)
Tunisia have participated in the African Cup of Nations 21 times and hold the record for the number of consecutive participations with 16 between 1994 and 2021. The best participation in this tournament came after 8 years when Tunisia in her country reached the final for the third time and won this time after defeating Morocco in the final 2–1.
9. Zambia (1 title)
The Zambia national football team represents Zambia in association football and is governed by the Football Association of Zambia (FAZ). During the 1980s, they were known as the KK 11, after founding president Dr. Kenneth Kaunda (“KK”) who ruled Zambia from 1964 to 1991. After the country adopted multiparty politics, the side was nicknamed Chipolopolo which means the “Copper Bullets”.The team won an Africa Cup of Nations title in 2012. This team has also become the only most successful team in the COSAFA Cup, surpassing Zimbabwe after winning the 2023 editions.
8. Senega (1 title)
Senegal have played in sixteen editions of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Historically, Senegal was seen as a weaker side in the strong West African region. Although they finished in fourth place in two AFCON editions, Senegalese performance was overall still deemed as poor. Senegal remained under the shadow of much more successful West African giants Nigeria, Ivory Coast and Ghana for the majority of the 20th century.
In the 2000s, Senegal began to surge and became a more competitive opponent in the Africa Cup of Nations. Following a successful FIFA World Cup debut in 2002, in which the side reached the quarter-finals, Senegal officially established itself as a new powerhouse in Africa. The 2002 Africa Cup of Nations tournament marked the best ever result in Senegalese football history, with the team falling to Cameroon 2–3 on penalties after a goalless draw in the final. Senega once again finished as runners-up in 2019, losing the final 0–1 to Algeria. The nation finally won their first AFCON title in 2021, defeating Egypt on penalties in the final.
7.DR Congo. (2 titles)
DR Congo is one of major participant in Africa Cup of Nations, having participated in nineteen editions of all AFCON tournaments. They are also one of the most successful teams in Africa, having won the titles twice in 1968 as Congo-Kinshasa and 1974 as Zaire. However, since then, successes have been elusively fading for the national side of DR Congo, in spite of their frequent participation in the tournament aftermath. Their best result since 1974 was third place in 1998 and 2015.
6. Algeria (2 titles)
Algeria have appeared in the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on nineteen occasions. The side’s first participation was in 1968 in Ethiopia. Algeria has won the cup twice: the first time was when they hosted the tournament in 1990, and they won a second title in the 2019 edition, held in Egypt. Algeria also finished second in the 1980 edition, held in Nigeria,[5] and third in the 1984 and 1988 editions, held in Ivory Coast and Morocco.
5. Ivory coast (2 titles)
Ivory Coast is one of Africa’s major forces in the Africa Cup of Nations. Ivory Coast has won the 1992 tournament, Ivory Coast has been runner up of the tournament, losing the tournament in 2006 and 2012. The 2015 tournament was the last tournament to date Ivory Coast has won.
4. Nigeria (3 titles)
Nigeria (Super eagles) have appeared in the finals of the Africa Cup of Nations on twenty occasions. Nigeria has won the cup three times: the first time was in 1980, and they won a second title in the 1994, held in Tunisia.
Nigeria won their third African title in 2013, held in South Africa.
3. Ghana (4 titles)
Ghana are one of Africa’s major forces in the Africa Cup of Nations. Ghana made its debut in 1963, Ghana emerged and became a fearsome power of the tournament, winning the tournament again in 1965 and 1978.
The 1982 tournament was the last tournament to date Ghana has won.
The Black stars of Ghana has won the Africa Cup of Nations 4 times – in 1963, 1965, 1978, and 1982 – bettered by Cameroon and Egypt. As the first winner of 3 AFCON tournaments, Ghana obtained the right to permanently hold the trophy in 1978.
2. Cameroon (5 titles)
Cameroon are one of Africa’s major forces in the Africa Cup of Nations. Cameroon won its first tournament in 1984, Cameroon emerged and became a fearsome power of the tournament, winning the tournament again in 2000 and 2002.
The 2017 tournament was the last tournament to date Cameroon has won.
- Egypt (7 titles).
Since the establishment of the Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt has been a frequent participant, having played in 26 of 34 AFCON editions, the most of all participants in African history. The Egyptians won the inaugural 1957, and successfully defended it two years later. However, Egypt had to wait until 1986 to win it for the third time. During this era of early participation, Egypt frequently entered to the semi-finals and at least gained runners-up or third place. However, after 1986, Egypt would have a poor era from 1988 to 1996 when the team was knocked out from the group stage and quarter-finals. In 1998, Egypt successfully conquered its fourth trophy.
However, it was the 2000s that witnessed the most successful Egyptian side in AFCON, as Egypt won the tournament back to back from 2006 to 2010, expanding their result to seven, an African record. Egypt then missed three AFCON editions from 2012 to 2015, before returning in 2017, where the Pharaohs almost conquered its eighth title until a 1–2 loss to Cameroon in the final. Egypt would again reach the final in 2021, this time losing on penalties to Senegal.
Egypt is also the country that hosted the most AFCON editions, five times. Three of them ended with Egypt being crowned champions. The 2019 edition was hosted by Egypt, but the Pharaohs had a dismal performance, lost to South Africa, another former AFCON champion, 0–1, right at home turf in the round of sixteen in spite of three group stage wins.
