AFCON Opener: 180 Territories watched as Morocco subdue Comoros in Rabat

The opening match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 was watched in 180 territories globally, including new markets in Japan, South Korea, Mexico and 18 countries across Europe.

The Opening match between Hosts Morrocco and Comoros was played on Sunday, 21 December 2025 at 20h00 local time/ 19h00 GMT/ 21h00 Cairo time at the 68,000 Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah.

After a difficult and frustrating first half where Soufiane Rahimi missed a penalty in the 10th minute, the Atlas Lions eventually neutralised Comoros who played with 10 men behind the ball.

Manchester United’s Noussair Mazroui and Real Madrid’s Brahim Diaz combined for the opener before the hour mark while Olympiacos striker, Ayoub El Kaabi doubled the lead with  one of the contenders for goal of the tournament – a sublime  acrobatic strike, a technique the 32-year-old has mastered overtime.

The record number of broadcast partnerships across Europe and Asia, the Far-East and parts of South and North America, reflects the growing global appeal and commercial strength of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations and African football.

The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will showcase the very best of African football talent and passion, and this expansion ensures that millions of football fans across the world, including Africa’s diaspora, can experience the AFCON live.

The tournament is on course to surpass the record-breaking 2023 edition in Côte d’Ivoire, which achieved a global television reach of 1.5 billion viewers, as Africa’s flagship football competition continues to captivate an ever-growing worldwide audience.

There will be history made as DAZN broadcasts African sport in Japan for the first time, while Zhibo 8 TV, K-Ball and Douyin TV in China have a combined reach of over 500 million viewers.

Fancode in India as over 160 million subscribers, while Fox and Claro extend the competition’s reach into South and Central America.

Across Africa, the tournament will be available on 60 channels, including 49 that are free-to-air (FTA), ensuring unprecedented access for fans on the continent.
CAF broadcast partners beIN Sport, SuperSport, CANAL+, New World TV, Azam TV, SABC will carry world-class coverage.

CAF has also secured a landmark FTA broadcast agreement with Channel 4 in the United Kingdom, further expanding the competition’s reach into key international markets.
In addition to the live broadcast of all 52 matches, the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) has produced a rich package of supplementary content for broadcasters, including a compelling Road to AFCON series designed to build anticipation and bring fans closer to the teams and players ahead of kick-off.

Coverage will extend beyond television and digital platforms, with several international radio broadcasters, including BBC World Service and Radio France Internationale (RFI) in sub-Saharan Africa, also following the tournament closely.
To download the map of broadcasters, CLICK HERE

With global demand for match tickets at an all-time high, viewership figures are expected to rise even further as the competition delivers world-class broadcast production, electric atmospheres and a galaxy of footballing talent.
The TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 will be the 35th edition of Africa’s premier football tournament, first staged in 1957, and marks Morocco’s return as host for the first time since 1988.

Curled from CAF Media.