AFCON 2025 Sets New Global Viewing Records with 61% Surge. Casablanca, Morocco — 2026-03-16 LEAD PARAGRAPH The 37th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), held in Morocco, has set a new benchmark for global viewership, with preliminary figures showing a remarkable 61% increase compared to the previous edition. This surge positions AFCON 2025 as one of the fastest-growing sporting events worldwide.
BODY.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) confirmed the significant viewership growth, attributing it to an expanded broadcast network and record-breaking international media coverage.
The tournament’s partnership with sports marketing agency IMG led to a 50% increase in broadcast partners compared to the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire.
This expansion included securing new broadcast deals in Japan, China, South Korea, Mexico, Greece, Colombia, Spain, Norway, Cyprus, and the Maldives.
The viewership increase was not confined to traditional markets, with Brazil recording over 24 million viewers and Mexico nearly 2 million.
In Europe, the AFCON final drew over 3 million viewers in the United Kingdom on Channel 4 and over 4 million in Germany via Sports Digital.
The tournament also made a strong debut in India, with the final attracting more than 800,000 viewers on FanCode. CAF also reported a 65% increase in media exposure for brand partners in Europe and South America, highlighting the success of its global media distribution strategy and expanded content production. ENDING.
The full report on the viewership surge is expected to be published by independent global research agency Nielsen in the coming weeks.
As AFCON 2025 continues to break records, it underscores the growing global appeal of African football.
*Additional reporting by ImNews | Sources consulted: 4*
