A Tournament That Has Already Made Financial History

The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations enters its final chapter with Senegal and Morocco set to battle for the continental crown. But beyond the trophy, the tournament has already left a historic mark on the financial side of the game. Never before has AFCON distributed so much money among its participants.

Since Patrice Motsepe took over as CAF president, the tournament’s economic growth has been evident. The edition held in Morocco has consolidated AFCON not only as a sporting powerhouse, but also as a competition capable of financially transforming federations across the continent.

The Millions Already Distributed

With the group stage, round of 16, quarterfinals and semifinals already completed, prize money has been fully defined based on each team’s performance. This is how the payouts were allocated:

• Eliminated in the group stage: $500,000
• Best third-placed teams: $700,000
• Eliminated in the round of 16: $800,000
• Eliminated in the quarterfinals: $1.3 million
• Semifinalists: $2.5 million

A distribution that allowed even teams without a strong historical pedigree to return home with unprecedented earnings in African football.

The Jackpot at Stake in the Grand Final

With Senegal and Morocco already through to the final, both teams are guaranteed a minimum of $4 million as runners-up. But the winner will lift not only the trophy, but also the biggest check of the tournament.

The AFCON 2025 champion receives $7 million for winning the title — a record figure for the competition. Adding up all the rewards earned from the group stage through to the final, the champion can collect up to $11.6 million in total prize money, the largest financial haul in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Where Does AFCON Stand Compared to Other Tournaments?

From an economic standpoint, AFCON now clearly surpasses competitions such as the Gold Cup, the Asian Cup, and the Oceania Nations Cup, where prize money is significantly lower. However, it still trails behind the global financial giants of international football:

• Copa América: up to $16 million for the champion
• European Championship: the most lucrative tournament, with prizes exceeding €28 million

Even so, AFCON remains the competition that distributes the most money in Africa and a key tool for the structural development of its national teams.

Much More Than a Trophy

As Senegal and Morocco prepare to decide the new king of the continent, AFCON 2025 has already won another battle: the economic one. The tournament was played on the pitch, but also in the financial arena, leaving behind rewards that could change the future of many African federations.

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