AFCON 2025 winner to pocket Sh1.2 billion as CAF unveils historic prize hike

Confederation of African Football President Patrice Motsepe speaks during a past briefing. [Jonah Onyango, Standard]

The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has announced a substantial increase in prize money for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), hosted in Morocco.

The winner's purse will rise to about Sh1.2 billion ($10 million), up from roughly Sh900 million ($7 million) at the 2023 edition in Cote d'Ivoire, a 43 per cent jump on the last tournament and a 100 per cent increase over four years.

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe unveiled the historic hike on Saturday during an executive committee meeting in Rabat, just a day before the tournament's kick-off.

"The country that wins the title in Morocco will receive 10 million dollars," Motsepe said. "This is an important goal. Around the world, prize money is increasing, and we have also decided to raise the prizes for the CAF Champions League and the Confederation Cup. The new amounts will be announced after January 18, 2026."

The decision forms part of their strategy to strengthen the competitive appeal of AFCON and reward excellence on the continental stage.

Under the revised structure, the runners-up will receive Sh515 million ($4 million), while the two semi-finalists will each pocket Sh322 million ($2.5 million).

The 2025 tournament, set to run from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, features 24 national teams competing across nine venues in Morocco.

Football fans and stakeholders have welcomed the prize money increase as a long-overdue recognition of African talent and achievement, with many noting that the enhanced rewards could encourage greater investment in national team programmes.

Motsepe, a former mining magnate and long-time CAF president, has been at the forefront of efforts to professionalise and commercialise African football.

The boost comes amid wider structural reforms, including a shift of AFCON to a four-year cycle and plans for an annual African Nations League, initiatives aimed at aligning African competitions with the global calendar and expanding commercial opportunities.

As excitement builds ahead of the opening matches, football lovers across Africa will be watching closely for the historic performances that now carry record-breaking rewards.