AFCON’s Powerhouses: The Nations That Have Painted Africa’s Cup of Nations With Gold
18 January 2026
Ivory Coast clinched the Africa Cup of Nations title on home soil, as the tournament concluded in 2024 after a period spanning January 13 to February 11, 2024.
They secured their third AFCON crown by beating Nigeria 2-1 in the final, overturning an early deficit and adding another remarkable chapter to the competition’s history.
In this overview, we count the nations with the most AFCON trophies from the competition’s beginnings in 1957 to today.
Winners of the Africa Cup of Nations Through History
The continental championship began in 1957 in Sudan, and Egypt rose as champions by defeating Ethiopia 4-0 in the final.
Below is a concise look at the most successful nations in AFCON history, in order of total titles.
Egypt — 7 titles: 1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010.
Cameroon — 5 titles: 1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017.
Ghana — 4 titles: 1963, 1965, 1978, 1982.
Nigeria — 3 titles: 1980, 1994, 2013.
Cote d'Ivoire — 3 titles: 1992, 2015, 2023.
Algeria — 2 titles: 1990, 2019.
DR Congo — 2 titles: 1968, 1974.
Zambia — 1 title: 2012.
Tunisia — 1 title: 2004.
Sudan — 1 title: 1970.
Senegal — 1 title: 2021.
Ethiopia — 1 title: 1962.
Morocco — 1 title: 1976.
South Africa — 1 title: 1996.
Congo — 1 title: 1972.
A quick poll from the article asks whether Mohamed Salah can bring another AFCON to Egypt, a question that fans still debate with gusto.
Punchline time: In football, timing is everything—if you miss the joke, at least the ball still finds the net. And if you think my jokes are offside, don’t worry—the referee of humor still hasn’t blown the whistle on them.
