How to watch AFCON 2025: FREE live streams, schedule, preview

Morocco's Yassine Bounou and Brahim Diaz celebrate reaching the 2025/26 AFCON final

(Image credit: Franck Fife/AFP via Getty Images)

Jump to:

Unblock any stream
Watch in the U.S.
Watch in Canada
Watch in the U.K.
Schedule

The Africa Cup of Nations trophy has been redesigned twice since Morocco last won the tournament in 1976, but Walid Regragui's golden generation could end the 50-year drought on home turf tonight. It's a script-perfect scenario — perhaps too perfect. Their AFCON final opponents Senegal, despite reaching three of the last four finals, have been criminally overlooked.

You can watch AFCON 2025 from anywhere with a VPN and potentially for FREE.

2025 Africa Cup of Nations live streams: TV schedule, dates

AFCON 2025 runs from Sunday, December 21 to Sunday, January 18. Schedule below.
• U.S. — beIN Sports via Sling
• FREE STREAMS — Channel 4 & YouTube (U.K.)
• Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN 100% risk free

The Lions of Teranga possess one of the most multifaceted, complete forward lines in world football. Even at 33, Sadio Mane remains the undisputed main man, but how about this for a supporting cast? Iliman Ndiaye, one of the most creative attackers in the Premier League, Ismaïla Sarr, who's unstoppable on his day, and the mercurial Nicolas Jackson, equally adept at the sublime and the ridiculous.

Those four will need to unpick a near-watertight Morocco rearguard that's only been breached once all tournament — from the penalty spot in the dead-rubber against Mali. We all know about Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi and Noussair Mazraoui, but the Atlas Lions' solidity stems from the team's setup as a whole.

Five-goal hero Brahim Diaz has essentially formed a ludicrously effective one-man attack. Moroccan fans have hated the approach right from the off, but if it brings them glory they'll take it. Pape Thiaw, meanwhile, will be without his captain and defensive lynchpin Kalidou Koulibaly at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.

Here's how to watch AFCON 2025 online and on TV — including free streaming options. We’ve also listed the full schedule below so you don't miss a moment.

Can I watch AFCON 2025 free of charge?

All 52 games of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations are free-to-air in the U.K. courtesy of Channel 4, with streaming available via the Channel 4 platform. Just register an account.

Select games are also being live streamed on the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel.

Away from home? You may not be able to watch the action like you normally would due to regional restrictions. Fortunately, there’s an easy solution. Use a VPN to watch AFCON 2025 for free — we’ll show you how below.

How to watch AFCON 2025 from anywhere

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the soccer on your usual subscription?

You can still watch AFCON 2025 live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear as if they're back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN. It's the best on the market:

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice. As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance, if you want to watch the free Africa Cup of Nations coverage on Channel 4, choose 'U.K.' from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to Channel 4, sign in, and watch AFCON 2025 live.

How to watch AFCON 2025 live streams in the U.S.

In the U.S., AFCON 2025 is being shown exclusively on beIN Sports.

beIN Sports is available from a number of cable providers including Dish, Spectrum, Verizon Fios and more, or as a standalone service.

Alternatively, fans can get beIN Sports via the Sling TV Soccer Pass, which costs just $5/month with their special AFCON promo.

How to watch AFCON 2025 live streams in Canada

Canada flag — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

In Canada, Africa Cup of Nations 2025 is exclusive to beIN Sports.

The network is available on cable plans from the likes of Shaw, Bell and Rogers.

If you live in Canada and already subscribe but aren't at home right now, you can still watch an AFCON live stream via your cable plan by using a quality VPN like NordVPN.

How to watch AFCON 2025 live streams in the U.K.

The upper third of the British flag — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

As explained above, every game of AFCON 2025 is free-to-air in the U.K., courtesy of Channel 4.

Fixtures are being shown across multiple TV channels, namely Channel 4, E4 and 4Seven, with live streaming available via the Channel 4 platform.

A handful of games are also set to be shown for free on the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel.

If you're on holiday outside the U.K., you can still follow your usual AFCON live streams by using one of the best VPN services, such as NordVPN.

Can I watch AFCON 2025 in Australia?

Australia flag — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

beIn Sports will also be showing AFCON 2025 in Australia.

A subscription costs AU$15.99/month or AU$189.99/year after a 7-day FREE trial.

If you're a Brit Down Under for work or on vacation you can catch every game of the Africa Cup of Nations as usual by using a VPN, such as NordVPN.

AFCON schedule 2025

(All times ET)

AFCON GROUP STAGE

Sunday, 21 December
2 p.m. — Morocco 2-0 Comoros

Monday, 22 December
9 a.m. — Mali 1-1 Zambia
12 p.m. — South Africa 2-1 Angola
3 p.m. — Egypt 2-1 Zimbabwe

Tuesday, 23 December
7:30 a.m. — DR Congo 1-0 Benin
10 a.m. — Senegal 3-0 Botswana
12:30 p.m. — Nigeria 2-1 Tanzania
3 p.m. —Tunisia 3-1 Uganda

Wednesday, 24 December
7:30 a.m. — Burkina Faso 2-1 Equatorial Guinea
10 a.m. — Algeria 3-0 Sudan
12:30 p.m. — Ivory Coast 1-0 Mozambique
3 p.m. — Cameroon 1-0 Gabon

Friday, 26 December
7:30 a.m. — Angola 1-1 Zimbabwe
10 a.m. — Egypt 1-0 South Africa
12:30 p.m. — Zambia 0-0 Comoros
3 p.m. — Morocco 1-1 Mali

Saturday, 27 December
7:30 a.m. — Benin 1-0 Botswana
10 a.m. — Senegal 1-1 DR Congo
12:30 p.m. — Uganda 1-1 Tanzania
3 p.m. — Nigeria 3-2 Tunisia

Sunday, 28 December
7:30 a.m. — Gabon 2-3 Mozambique
10 a.m. — Equatorial Guinea 0-1 Sudan
12:30 p.m. — Algeria 1-0 Burkina Faso
3 p.m. — Ivory Coast 1-1 Cameroon

Monday, 29 December
11 a.m. — Angola 0-0 Egypt
11 a.m. — Zimbabwe 2-3 South Africa
2 p.m. — Comoros 0-0 Mali
2 p.m. — Zambia 0-3 Morocco

Tuesday, 30 December
11 a.m. — Tanzania 1-1 Tunisia
11 a.m. — Uganda 1-3 Nigeria
2 p.m. — Benin 0-3 Senegal
2 p.m. — Botswana 0-3 DR Congo

Wednesday, 31 December
11 a.m. — Equatorial Guinea 1-3 Algeria
11 a.m. — Sudan 0-2 Burkina Faso
2 p.m. — Gabon 2-3 Ivory Coast
2 p.m. — Mozambique 1-2 Cameroon

AFCON KNOCKOUTS

Round of 16

Saturday, 3 January
11 a.m. — Senegal 3-1 Sudan
2 p.m. — Mali 1-1 Tunisia (Mali won 3-2 on penalties)

Sunday, 4 January
11 a.m. — Morocco 1-0 Tanzania
2 p.m. — South Africa 1-2 Cameroon

Monday, 5 January
11 a.m. — Egypt 3-1 Benin (after extra-time)
2 p.m. — Nigeria 4-0 Mozambique

Tuesday, 6 January
11 a.m. — Algeria 1-0 DR Congo (after extra-time)
2 p.m. — Ivory Coast 3-0 Burkina Faso

Quarter-finals

Friday, 9 January
11 a.m. — Mali 0-1 Senegal
2 p.m. — Cameroon 0-2 Morocco

Saturday, 10 January
11 a.m. — Algeria 0-2 Nigeria
2 p.m. — Egypt 3-2 Ivory Coast

Semi-finals

Wednesday, 14 January
12 p.m. — Senegal 1-0 Egypt
3 p.m. — Nigeria 0-0 Morocco (Morocco won 4-2 on penalties)

Third-place playoff

Saturday, 17 January
2 p.m. — Egypt 0-0 Nigeria (Nigeria won 4-2 on penalties)

AFCON final

Sunday, 18 January
2 p.m. — Morocco vs Senegal

More from Tom's Guide

Disclaimer

We test and review VPN services in the context of legal recreational uses. For example: 1. Accessing a service from another country (subject to the terms and conditions of that service). 2. Protecting your online security and strengthening your online privacy when abroad. We do not support or condone the illegal or malicious use of VPN services. Consuming pirated content that is paid-for is neither endorsed nor approved by Future Publishing.

TOPICS

Aatif is a freelance journalist and copywriter based in the UK. He’s written about technology, sport and politics for a wide range of publications including TechRadar, What Hi-Fi?, The Independent, Trusted Reviews, and Newsweek. These days, he focuses mainly on streaming at Future, an arrangement that combines two of his greatest passions: live TV and penny-pinching. When he's not attending a top-flight English soccer match, you can find him perfecting his table tennis skills.

You must confirm your public display name before commenting

Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.