The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) brings together 24 international teams to compete for the coveted trophy.
Ivory Coast won the previous edition in February 2024 after beating Nigeria 2-1 in a dramatic final at the Olympic Stadium of Ebimpe.
They face a huge challenge this year with several other top contenders vying for the AFCON trophy.
Here are the favourites to win the prestigious African tournament.
Morocco
Morocco have plenty of quality in their ranks and will play in front of their passionate home crowd.
The Atlas Lions made history at the 2022 World Cup, becoming the first African country to reach the tournament’s semi-final.
They are currently on an 18-game winning run after a perfect record in the CAF World Cup qualifying.
Ashraf Hakimi and Brahim Diaz are the star players expected to shine for Morocco.
Egypt
Egypt have not won the tournament since 2010, but they are one of the top contenders this year.
They have a balanced squad that includes seasoned veterans and rising talent.
Mohamed Salah is one of Africa’s most accomplished players, having won the Premier League and Champions League with Liverpool.
The seven-time AFCON winners also have Omar Marmoush, who joined Manchester City this year after impressing in Germany.
Senegal
Senegal won the 2021 edition of the tournament after defeating Egypt on penalties in a tense final.
The Lions of Teranga will look to add another trophy this year in Morocco, and they are quite capable of achieving this feat.
Kalidou Koulibaly, Idrissa Gana Gueye and Sadio Mane are among the standout names in their squad.
Nicolas Jackson and Iliman Ndiaye offer fresh energy and new attacking options.
Algeria
Algeria won the 2019 AFCON trophy after beating Senegal 1-0 in the final.
However, they were eliminated in the group stage in 2021 and 2023.
They comfortably qualified for the 2026 World Cup by winning eight of their 10 qualifiers.
Forward Mohamed Amoura is a standout player for Vladimir Petkovic’s side, leading the qualifying scoring charts with 10 goals.
