Ghana legend names Nigeria favourites to win AFCON 2025

Former Ghana captain Asamoah Gyan has thrown his weight behind the Super Eagles, tipping Nigeria as one of the main favourites to win the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

The 35th edition of AFCON is scheduled to be held in Morocco from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026.

Gyan, one of Africa’s most iconic strikers, believes Nigeria has all the tools needed to challenge for the title, despite their heartbreak in the 2026 World Cup qualifiers.

Speaking on the red carpet at the 2025 CAF Awards in Morocco, Gyan said Nigeria’s recent near-misses could serve as motivation for a deep AFCON run.

“I think we’ve got a lot of giants who are going there. Ghana is out which we are very disappointed about, but it is okay, we have qualified for the World Cup. Nigeria did well; they were close the last two years. Ivory Coast did well, so we have a lot of teams,” Gyan said.

He added, “Morocco is also a strong contender that is doing well. I will say these three countries that I have mentioned, Nigeria, the Ivory Coast and Morocco are favourites.”

Gyan, whose national team failed to qualify for the tournament, expressed disappointment for Ghana but acknowledged that Nigeria remain one of Africa’s strongest sides.

Nigeria has been placed in Group C, where they will face: Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda.

The Super Eagles kick off their campaign on December 23 against Tanzania. They will take on Tunisia on December 27, before wrapping up the group stage against Uganda on December 30.

Nigeria last won the Africa Cup of Nations in 2013 under the late Stephen Keshi. Their other titles came in 1980 and 1994, placing them among the continent’s most successful national teams.

With a new generation of stars eager to write their names in history, AFCON 2025 presents a major opportunity for redemption following the disappointment of missing out on the 2026 World Cup.