AFCON · Updated 2026-10-19

How many teams play in the Africa Cup of Nations?

Short answer

24 teams play at the Africa Cup of Nations finals. The tournament grew from 3 teams in 1957 to 8 in 1968, 12 in 1992, 16 in 1996 and 24 from the 2019 edition in Egypt; the rest of CAF's members are eliminated in qualifying.

The numbers

Edition	Teams	Matches
2025	24	52
2023	24	52
2021	24	52
2019	24	52
2017	16	32
2015	16	32
2013	16	32
2012	16	32
2010	15	29
2008	16	32
2006	16	32
2004	16	32

People also ask

How many countries are in CAF?

CAF has 54 full member associations, one for each of Africa's 54 independent football nations, organised into six regional zones (UNAF, WAFU A, WAFU B, UNIFFAC, CECAFA and COSAFA). Teams such as Zanzibar also play in zonal cups. Read more →

Which countries have never played at AFCON?

10 CAF members have never played at an Africa Cup of Nations finals tournament: Central African Republic, Chad, Djibouti, Eritrea, Eswatini, Lesotho, Seychelles, Somalia, South Sudan and São Tomé and Príncipe. Read more →

When and where is the next AFCON?

The next Africa Cup of Nations is the 2027 edition, awarded to Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania as joint hosts, the first time three countries share the tournament. Qualifying matches are under way; upcoming qualifiers are listed below. Read more →

Answers are generated from our database of international results, Wikidata player records and other open sources, and refresh automatically. See our methodology.