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AFCON Champions: Complete List of Winners from 1957 to 2026

The African Cup of Nations has seen more than a dozen nations lift the trophy since its start in 1957. This guide covers every winner throughout the tournament's history up to 2026.

Top AFCON Winners and Their Titles

As of 2026, 15 countries have won the AFCON at least once. Senegal recently joined the multi-title clubs with a 1-0 victory over Morocco in the 2025-26 final held in Rabat. Here's a rundown of all champions and their winning years.

Complete List of AFCON Winners Since 1957

  • Egypt: 7 titles (1957, 1959, 1986, 1998, 2006, 2008, 2010) - Venues include Municipal Stadium, Prince Farouk Stadium, Stade du 4-Aout, Ohene Djan Stadium
  • Cameroon: 5 titles (1984, 1988, 2000, 2002, 2017) - Stade Felix Houphouet-Boigny, Stade Mohamed V, Stade du 26 Mars, Stade de I'Amitie
  • Ghana: 4 titles (1963, 1965, 1978, 1982) - Stade du 11-Juin, Accra Sports Stadium, Chedly Zouiten Stadium
  • Nigeria: 3 titles (1980, 1994, 2013) - FNB, Stade El Menzah, National Stadium Lagos
  • Ivory Coast: 3 titles (1992, 2015, 2023) - Stade de I'Amitie, Estadio de Bata, Alassane Ouattara Stadium
  • Algeria: 2 titles (1990, 2019) - Cairo International Stadium, Stade 5 Juillet 1962
  • DR Congo: 2 titles (1968, 1974) - Nasser Stadium, Addis Ababa Stadium
  • Senegal: 2 titles (2021, 2026) - Olembe Omnisport Stadium, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium
  • Zambia: 1 title (2012) - Stade d'Angondje
  • Tunisia: 1 title (2004) - Mustapha Ben Jannet Stadium
  • Sudan: 1 title (1970) - Municipal Stadium
  • South Africa: 1 title (1996) - FNB Stadium
  • Ethiopia: 1 title (1962) - Addis Ababa Stadium
  • Morocco: 1 title (1976) - Addis Ababa Stadium
  • Congo: 1 title (1972) - Stade Omnisports

Highlights on Leading Nations

Egypt tops the list with seven AFCON trophies. They won the inaugural tournament in 1957 and repeated shortly after in 1959. The Pharaohs made history by winning three straight titles from 2006 to 2010, marking them as the most successful team in AFCON history.

Cameroon, known as the Indomitable Lions, follow closely with five titles. Their first came in 1984, and they notably secured back-to-back wins in 2000 and 2002. Their last championship was in 2017 when they defeated Egypt 2-1. Since then, they have not reached another final.

Ghana claimed four titles between 1963 and 1982. Their first triumph was a 3-0 victory over Sudan in 1963. Although they almost clinched a fifth title in 2015, they ended as runners-up.

Nigeria and Ivory Coast each have three titles. Nigeria's wins came in 1980, 1994, and 2013, beating teams like Algeria, Zambia, and Burkina Faso. Ivory Coast’s first title was earned in 1992 after a dramatic penalty shootout against Ghana, repeating a similar feat in 2015. They also won most recently in 2023 as hosts.

Algeria and DR Congo have both won twice. Algeria took their first crown in 1990 with a decisive goal against Nigeria and won again in 2019 against Senegal. DR Congo won in 1968 and 1974, with their second title decided by a replay match.

Senegal, with two titles including their 2026 victory, have shown consistent strength. After heartbreaks as runners-up in 2002 and 2019, they finally lifted the trophy in 2021 through penalties, inspired by star player Sadio Mane.

Other One-Time Champions

  • Zambia: Won in 2012 on penalties against Ivory Coast; runners-up in 1974 and 1994.
  • Tunisia: Claimed their only title in 2004, defeating Morocco 2-1; runners-up in 1965 and 1996.
  • Sudan: Champion in 1970 after several close calls; hosted early editions of the tournament.
  • South Africa: Won in 1996 with a 2-0 final win over Tunisia; runners-up in 1998.
  • Ethiopia: Took the title in 1962 after a thrilling extra-time victory.
  • Morocco: Won in 1976 by beating Guinea; despite international consistency, AFCON titles have been rare.
  • Congo: Claimed their sole title in 1972 with a high-scoring final against Mali.

FAQ

  • Who has the most AFCON titles? Egypt leads with 7 championships.
  • How many titles has Senegal won? Senegal has won 2 AFCON tournaments as of 2026.
  • How many times has Cameroon won? Cameroon has 5 AFCON titles.
  • How many AFCON titles does Ghana hold? Ghana has won 4 times.
  • Who won the first ever AFCON? Egypt in 1957.
  • Who were the most recent champions? Ivory Coast won in 2023.
  • How many nations have won AFCON? Fifteen different countries have lifted the trophy by 2026.

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