AFCON Knockouts: Nigeria Sets the Benchmark as Africa's Most Experienced in Elimination Games
2 January 2026
Historic AFCON knockout appearances
With the Africa Cup of Nations knockout rounds approaching, the teams with the deepest experience in the knockout format loom large in the conversation.
Nigeria leads with 45 knockout matches in AFCON history, ahead of Egypt on 41, Ghana on 38, Ivory Coast on 36, and Cameroon on 34.
Tunisia sits sixth with 27; DR Congo 25; Senegal 24; Algeria and Mali share 22; Zambia and South Africa have 18; Morocco, host of the 2025 edition, has 16; Burkina Faso 15.
As the tournament moves toward the knockout rounds, these figures offer a snapshot of where experience can matter, though football still loves to surprise.
What this means for the 2025 edition
In knockout football, history favors the tested, but the beautiful game loves a twist. The numbers suggest which nations might thrive under pressure and who still has work to do to reach the quarterfinals.
Punchline 1: Nigeria's knockout record is so long you could print it on a banner and still have room for the trophy.
Punchline 2: In AFCON, the ball travels more than some players, and at least it knows when to stay onside—usually.
