The 37th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2025), hosted in Morocco, has witnessed unparalleled growth in global viewership, with preliminary reports indicating a 61% surge. This significant rise not only attests to the tournament's increasing popularity but also highlights its emergence as one of the fastest-growing sporting events on a global scale. The upcoming full report from global research firm Nielsen is anticipated to provide further insights into this remarkable trend.

The initial data released by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) suggests that this increase in viewership can be attributed to a variety of factors including heightened international media coverage and a broadened broadcasting network. Specifically, the UK and France have been identified as key contributors to the expansion of the audience base. Furthermore, the collaboration between CAF and sports marketing agency IMG has resulted in a considerable 50% increase in broadcast partners compared to the previous edition held in Côte d'Ivoire in 2023.

Additionally, AFCON 2025 has secured new broadcasting deals across numerous countries, including Japan, China, South Korea, Mexico, Greece, Colombia, Spain, Norway, Cyprus, and the Maldives. This broadening of the broadcasting landscape not only increases accessibility for fans across the globe but also cements AFCON's position as a leading play in the international sports arena, promising to attract even more viewers and engagement in future editions.