The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations enters its final weekend with the third-place playoff between Nigeria and Egypt on Saturday, and the final between Morocco and Senegal on Sunday.
As the tournament draws to a close on the pitch, it has already rewritten the record books financially, with higher prize money paid out at every stage of the competition.
Hosted by Morocco, this year’s edition is the most lucrative in AFCON’s history. By the time the final whistle is blown on Sunday, every team that qualified for AFCON 2025 will have earned prize money – with payouts rising sharply as teams progressed deeper into the competition.
Teams eliminated at the group stage still earned $500,000. The best-performing third-placed teams received $700,000, while teams knocked out in the round of 16 earned $800,000. Those eliminated at the quarter-final stage took home $1.3 million.
Reaching the semi-finals came with a much larger financial reward. All four semi-finalists are guaranteed $2.5 million in prize money.
For the two teams that advanced to the final, the rewards rise further. Both finalists are guaranteed at least $4 million as runners-up, regardless of Sunday’s outcome.
The champion of AFCON 2025 will receive $7 million for lifting the trophy – the largest winner’s prize in the tournament’s history.
Zoom In: Nigeria’s Pay-Out
Nigeria’s Super Eagles narrowly missed out on the final after losing to host nation Morocco in the semi-finals via penalties.
As semi-finalists, Nigeria secured $2.5 million in prize money. The Super Eagles face Egypt in Saturday’s third-place playoff – a match that carries prestige and ranking implications, but no additional prize money beyond the semi-finalist payout.
The Business Side: Why AFCON Is Paying More
AFCON’s expanded prize structure reflects a sharp improvement in the tournament’s commercial performance. CAF says revenue from the competition has risen by about 90%, driven by stronger broadcast deals and a growing pool of sponsors.
The number of commercial partners has increased from nine in 2021 to 23 for the Morocco-hosted tournament, according to CAF. Media rights sales have also expanded into new markets, particularly in Asia, reducing reliance on traditional African and European broadcasters.
Last year, CAF reported earning $96 million in net contract revenues from the previous Africa Cup of Nations. It projected that the Morocco-hosted tournament would generate about $114 million in net profit.
How AFCON Compares Globally
In terms of prize money, AFCON now beats competitions such as the Gold Cup, the Asian Cup, and the Oceania Nations Cup. However, it still trails the world’s richest football tournaments:
– FIFA World Cup 2026: $50 million (winner)
– European Championship: $30 million (winner)
– Copa América: up to $16 million (winner)
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