Art & Culture

The Best Moments From AFCON 2025

BYYassine Hariss

January 15, 2026

It’s been nearly a month since the 35th edition of the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicked off, sending stress levels through the roof. Held in Morocco for the second time in history— the first time being in 1988— the tournament turned the North African Kingdom into the beating heart of African football, with arguments, predictions, and nonstop debates about who deserves to lift the gloried trophy blending into the soundtrack of daily life.

With a heavyweight showdown between hosts Morocco and defending champions Senegal set for Jan. 18, the countdown is officially on. Fans are already reliving, replaying, and dissecting every moment that shaped this AFCON long before the last whistle blows. Before the curtain finally falls, now’s the perfect moment to pause, rewind, and relive the moments that made this AFCON one for the books.

Below, the standout highlights from this year’s edition.

Congolese Fan Pays Tribute to Revolutionary Leader Patrice Lumumba in the Stands

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A post shared by Michel Kuka MBOLADINGA alias #lumumbaVea (@lumumba_vea)

In the middle of the noise and color of matchday, a Congolese fan turned the stands into a site of remembrance by paying tribute to former prime minister of Congo Patrice Lumumba, standing motionless with his right hand raised. Becoming a fan-favorite sight each time his native Congo would step onto the pitch, Michel Nkuka Mboladinga of his real name, used his posture and silence to pull history back in the present all while supporting his homeland. He exited the competition by collapsing at the sight of 22-year-old Boulbina’s last minute winner in the quarter finals of AFCON.

Sudan Makes Historic Knockout Rounds

Sudan clinched a historic spot in the knockout stages, advancing as one of the four best third-placed teams— their first AFCON round-of-16 appearance since 2012. Their three-point finish was enough to push them through, marking a rare bright moment for a nation whose football has been overshadowed by turmoil back home. With the country still grappling with conflict, displacement, and a disrupted domestic league system, the team’s progression is a symbolic lift for fans who haven’t had much to celebrate in recent years.

Tunisian Squad Shield Escort Kids From Rain

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A post shared by Federation Tunisienne de Football (@ftf.tn)

As rain hammered down before kickoff, Tunisian players instinctively used their jackets and whatever they had in hand to cover the child mascots beside them. The match hadn’t started yet, but the image stuck: grown men in national colors bending slightly, hands outstretched, focused not on tactics but on keeping the kids warm and dry.

Algerian Midfielder Boulbina Snatches a Last-Minute Winner Against Congo

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Une publication partagée par Équipe d’Algérie de football (@lesverts.faf)

With extra time almost up, Algeria looked moments away from penalty shootouts. That was before 22-year-old Boulbina stepped in, striking in the final minute before spot kicks could even be considered. Flying into the top corner, the last-minute goal detonated the stadium, ending the tie in an instant and flipping tension into pure release as Algeria secured their spot in the quarter-finals.

Uganda Subs Three Different Goalkeepers, Each One Concedes

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A post shared by Uganda Cranes (@ugandacranes)

AFCON has a way of producing stats that sound fake until you see them happen live. In the tournament’s group stages, Uganda used three different goalkeepers in their final group game against Nigeria, and somehow each one ended up conceding. Call it bad luck, desperation, or tactical roulette gone wrong, whichever way you want to read the situation, it was fun to see it all unfold from the stands or behind our TVs.

Algeria Fans Protest Against Referee Bias During Nigeria Match

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A post shared by Welovebuzz (@welovebuzz)

Football didn’t stop at the touchline as Algerian fans waved banknotes toward match officials after the final whistle was blown, not-so-subtly accusing the referee of favoring Nigeria. The gesture spread through the stands, with phones out and tempers flaring, turning frustration into a visual protest that will be remembered as one of the tensest moments of the competition.

Ayoub El Kaabi’s Opening-Game Overhead Kick…

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Une publication partagée par #TotalEnergiesAFCON2025 (@caf_online)

El Kaabi wasted no time setting the tone. Morocco cruised past Comoros in the opener, but it was his overhead kick that stuck; an acrobatic finish that instantly felt like a tournament highlight. To drop a goal like that in game one, with more than 30 matches still to come, made it seem like AFCON 2025 had peaked before it even properly started.

…And Second Overhead Kick

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Une publication partagée par Équipe du Maroc (@equipedumaroc)

Score a bicycle kick once and people call it luck. Do it again and the conversation changes. In Morocco’s final group-stage match, El Kaabi pulled off another overhead finish, with the same amount of control and confidence as he had the first time around. Suddenly, his own goals were competing with each other for the best goal of the tournament.

Marmoush Scores Fastest Goal For Egypt in AFCON History

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A post shared by Egypt National Team (@egyptnt)

Omar Marmoush etched his name into AFCON history, striking just four minutes into Egypt’s quarter-final clash with Ivory Coast. The early opener wasn’t just a momentum-setter, making Marmoush the scorer of Egypt’s fastest goal in an AFCON knockout match in more than 50 years. The moment instantly drew comparisons to a classic: Hassan El-Shazly’s third-minute finish against the same opponent back on February 16, 1970.

Moroccan Mother and Son Steal the Show at Fes Stadium

A short clip from Fes Stadium ended up traveling far beyond as it showed a mother overwhelmed with joy as she brought her son to a game. In a tournament marked by tension and pressure, the moment landed because it reminded everyone what it can take to be there: expensive tickets, limited access, and effort.

The Best Moments From AFCON 2025

Congolese Fan Pays Tribute to Revolutionary Leader Patrice Lumumba in the Stands

Sudan Makes Historic Knockout Rounds

Tunisian Squad Shield Escort Kids From Rain

Algerian Midfielder Boulbina Snatches a Last-Minute Winner Against Congo

Uganda Subs Three Different Goalkeepers, Each One Concedes

Algeria Fans Protest Against Referee Bias During Nigeria Match

Ayoub El Kaabi’s Opening-Game Overhead Kick…

…And Second Overhead Kick

Marmoush Scores Fastest Goal For Egypt in AFCON History

Moroccan Mother and Son Steal the Show at Fes Stadium

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The Best Moments From AFCON 2025

Congolese Fan Pays Tribute to Revolutionary Leader Patrice Lumumba in the Stands

Sudan Makes Historic Knockout Rounds

Tunisian Squad Shield Escort Kids From Rain

Algerian Midfielder Boulbina Snatches a Last-Minute Winner Against Congo

Uganda Subs Three Different Goalkeepers, Each One Concedes

Algeria Fans Protest Against Referee Bias During Nigeria Match

Ayoub El Kaabi’s Opening-Game Overhead Kick…

…And Second Overhead Kick

Marmoush Scores Fastest Goal For Egypt in AFCON History

Moroccan Mother and Son Steal the Show at Fes Stadium

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