AFCON is acronym for "Africa Cup of Nations", also called "African Cup of Nations" and "African Nations Cup", the most prestigious football (soccer) competition in Africa. It is contested by national teams and is organized by the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF). The competition’s format has changed over time, with the number of teams increasing from 3 in 1957 to, after several expansions, 24 in 2019. Growing participation also led to the introduction of qualifying rounds in 1968, the same year that CAF decided to hold the tournament biennially.

The Africa Cup of Nations was first held in February 1957 in Sudan, where Egypt defeated the host nation in the final to win the Abdel Aziz Abdallah Salem Trophy, named after its donor, an Egyptian who was the first CAF president. That trophy was permanently awarded to Ghana in 1978 when it became the first country to win the tournament three times. The next trophy, known as the African Unity Cup, was awarded permanently to Cameroon in 2000 when that team claimed its third championship since 1978. In 2002 a new trophy called the Cup of Nations was introduced.

Egypt is the most successful team, claiming the championship seven times followed by Cameroon who has won it five times, Ghana four and Nigeria three times.

As of 2022, the 2021 edition of the tournament (held in Cameroon in 2022), was claimed by Senegal after beating Egypt in a penalty shootout. That was also the first time the Senegalese team won the title.

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