The much-anticipated 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) kicked off in Morocco last Sunday, December 21. It has barely been a week since the 35th edition of the continental showpiece got underway, but as ever, it has already delivered an engrossing asymmetrical mix of the memorable and the forgettable, overwhelmingly in favour of the former. From the runway-like arrivals of each team to the thrilling matches and overall spectacle, AFCON 2025 has been anything but a letdown. So far, early signs suggest Morocco 2025 may well eclipse the 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire, which many considered the finest AFCON in recent memory. 

At the tournament’s opening ceremony in Rabat were Nigerian superstar Davido and American-Moroccan rapper French Montana, both dressed in Moroccan colours. Amid pulsing lights, immersive drums, and digital displays, the duo performed the tournament’s official track “Le Show” to roaring cheers from 69,500 fans at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, moments before Crown Prince Moulay Hassan took the ceremonial kickoff. 

AFCON 2025: Week 1 On the Pitch

After 20 fixtures across six different cities in Morocco, the opening week of AFCON 2025 has largely been everything football fans could ask for. The Pharaohs of Egypt became the first country to qualify for the round of 16, courtesy of Mohamed Salah’s winning goals in both of their Group B matches against Zimbabwe and South Africa.

Contrary to popular expectations, hosts Morocco were stunned in their second group game against Mali. The Tom Saintfiet-led side held their own to grind out a 1-1 draw, ending the Atlas Lions’ 19-game winning streak and delaying the qualification hierarchy to matchday three in Group A, after Zambia and Comoros played out a goalless draw in the group’s other second matchday fixture.

The Teranga Lions of Senegal also saw their roar muted in Group C, as DR Congo held them to a 1-1 draw in a game many thought would confirm their qualification, following their emphatic 3-0 win over Botswana in their opening match. Elsewhere in Group C, the Super Eagles of Nigeria became the second country to book a place in the round of 16 after a 3-2 win over Tunisia in their second group match on Saturday. After sealing their opening victory over Tanzania, 2024 CAF Player of the Year Ademola Lookman was again at his finest, assisting twice and grabbing the winner against a Tunisian side flattered by the scoreline.

AFCON 2025: Week 1 Off the Pitch

Off the pitch in the opening week, AFCON 2025 has largely been free of major controversy. However, the tournament was briefly overshadowed by the sad passing of French coach Jean-Louis Gasset on December 26, just two days after Côte d’Ivoire kicked off their AFCON 2025 campaign with a 1–0 victory over Mozambique.

Gasset, aged 72, oversaw the Elephants’ group-stage campaign on home soil at the 2023 AFCON and was a familiar figure in African football. His final role was at Montpellier, a position he left by mutual consent in April. Following news of his death, tributes poured in from former clubs, national teams and players whose careers he influenced. Among those who paid tribute were the Ivorian Football Federation and Gabon captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, who briefly worked under Gasset during his short managerial stint at Marseille in the closing months of the 2023/24 season.

Beyond the sombre moment, a major talking point among visiting fans has been Morocco’s weather situation. Winter has firmly set in across the host nation, with torrential rain and chilling cold affecting several regions. Daytime temperatures have ranged between 15–20°C, with much colder conditions at night. Cities like Fes, Rabat, and Casablanca have been among the coldest, with daytime temperatures hovering around 14°C and nighttime temperatures dropping as low as 6°C. 

As expected, social media banters were also a huge part of the tournament’s first week, with Ghana left defenceless in the crosshairs. Due to the Black Stars’ failure to qualify for the tournament, rival fans, especially fellow West African nations like Nigeria, have shown little restraint in their schadenfreude as the competition continues into its second week with Gabon and Mozambique set to get the action underway at the Adrar Stadium, as both sides look to bounce back from their opening-day defeats.