AFCON Prize Boom: Semifinalists Brace for Bigger Cash Payouts
12 January 2026
CAF increases prize money for national teams.
Prize money boost for AFCON 2025
Fans of African football eagerly await the semifinals in Morocco, where the Atlas Lions face Nigeria and Egypt meets Senegal, on midweek fixtures that will decide more than just bragging rights.
With the prize fund increased for this edition, fans wonder how much the four semifinalists will pocket.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has raised the rewards: the champion will collect $10 million, up from $7 million last edition (Ivory Coast was the previous winner). The runner-up will receive $4 million.
The third and fourth-placed teams will each take home $2.5 million, meaning Morocco, Egypt, Nigeria, and Senegal have secured at least that amount before the semis, with more to come based on results.
Fans will be watching the midweek clashes: Morocco vs Nigeria and Egypt vs Senegal, as prize money adds another layer of tension to the knockout stage.
Impact on the competition and money mindset
Higher payouts could sharpen the rivalry and raise the stakes in every round, as teams chase both the trophy and a fatter bank balance.
Whether the favorites can translate this financial boost into performance remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: AFCON's prize pot is now a major talking point alongside the trophy itself.
Punchline: If football were math, the prize money would finally balance the books—and players would celebrate with extra minutes on the clock.
Punchline 2: The trophy might be priceless, but the cash is rewriting the script of this competition.
