AFCON 2025 becomes most widely watched edition with 61% global rise

The 37th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025), held in Morocco, has shattered records.

Preliminary figures from independent research agencies show a 61% surge in global viewership, confirming the tournament’s status as one of the fastest-growing sporting events in the world.

The full report will be released in the coming weeks by global research firm Nielsen, but the initial data already link this increase to record-breaking international media coverage and an expanded broadcast network, CAF said on Monday.

The United Kingdom and France were the main drivers of this audience growth.

CAF’s partnership with sports marketing agency IMG resulted in a 50% rise in broadcast partners compared with the 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire.

The tournament also secured new broadcast deals in Japan, China, South Korea, Mexico, Greece, Colombia, Spain, Norway, Cyprus and the Maldives.

Together, these factors have made AFCON 2025 the most widely distributed edition of the competition worldwide.

The audience extended well beyond traditional markets. Brazil recorded more than 24 million viewers, while Mexico reached nearly 2 million.

In Europe, the AFCON final drew more than 3 million viewers in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 and over 4 million in Germany via Sports Digital.

In India, the final attracted more than 800,000 viewers on FanCode, marking a strong debut for the tournament in that market.

CAF also reported a 65% increase in media exposure for brand partners in Europe and South America, driven by its global media distribution strategy and expanded content production.