The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 has set a new milestone in international sports broadcasting, securing a record-breaking 20 media rights partnerships across more than 30 European territories, tournament organizers confirmed Thursday. This unprecedented expansion marks the widest European coverage ever agreed for the continent’s flagship football tournament, amplifying AFCON’s global visibility ahead of its December 21 kickoff.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF), working in collaboration with global rights agency IMG, announced the multi-partner deals as part of a strategy to bolster the tournament’s global footprint and bring elite African football to millions of viewers across Europe, including the continent’s extensive African diaspora.
Among the landmark agreements is a historic deal with Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, under which all 52 AFCON matches will be broadcast free-to-air, a first for the tournament in the British market. Officials said this move will make one of football’s most fiercely contested competitions accessible to an unprecedented audience in the UK.
In Spain, AFCON’s European exposure is set to rise further through a new partnership with Movistar, one of the country’s premier sports broadcasters. That agreement is expected to deliver strong viewership, buoyed by Spain’s deep footballing ties with North Africa and a large Moroccan community.
The tournament’s free-to-air reach will also expand into other markets for the first time. Greek public broadcaster ERT will air AFCON nationwide after a long absence from the competition, and VGTV in Norway will televise the games free-to-air to Norwegian audiences, another significant first.
Established partners including Sport Italia and Ziggo Sport are expected to build on strong audiences in Italy and the Netherlands from previous editions, while SportDigital will continue coverage in the DACH region across Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Additional partners bringing the tournament to fans across central and eastern Europe include A1 in Bulgaria, Arena Sport across the Balkans, SportKlub in the former Yugoslav states, and broadcasters in markets such as Portugal, Cyprus, Poland and Israel.
CAF’s expanded media footprint reflects the tournament’s growing commercial strength and global appeal, organizers said, as well as a broader push to integrate African football more fully into international sporting calendars and media markets. “AFCON continues to attract growing international interest and Europe is one of its most important markets,” said Robert Klein, IMG’s Senior Vice-President and Managing Director for football. “The record number of free-to-air and premium broadcast partnerships … will bring the tournament to more fans than ever before.”
The heightened broadcast presence comes amid preparations for what promises to be one of AFCON’s most competitive editions. Morocco 2025 will feature 24 national teams competing in 52 matches across nine stadiums, with Africa’s footballing elite showcasing their talent throughout the tournament’s month-long schedule.
The expanded media deals also coincide with boosted support for accredited journalists covering the event. CAF and Morocco’s local organizing committee have established a central Main Media Centre in Rabat, and have streamlined e-visa processes and logistics to accommodate thousands of international reporters.
