Since the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) expanded from 16 to 24 teams in 2019, the tournament’s group stages have consistently delivered more goals, excitement, and attacking football.
Softfootball gathered, the expansion allowed more nations to participate, increasing match variety and giving emerging teams the confidence to play more offensively rather than defensively. As a result, goal numbers have steadily risen across editions.
In the 2019 AFCON hosted by Egypt, the first with 24 teams, 68 goals were scored during the group stage. Algeria went on to win the tournament, while Senegal finished as runners-up, with Odion Ighalo emerging as top scorer.
The 2021 edition in Cameroon also recorded 68 group-stage goals, showing stability in attacking output. Senegal claimed their first AFCON title, Egypt were runners-up, and Vincent Aboubakar finished as top scorer.
A major jump came in the 2023 AFCON (played in early 2024) hosted by Côte d’Ivoire, where 89 goals were scored in the group stage. The hosts lifted the trophy after defeating Nigeria, and Emilio Nsue finished as the tournament’s top scorer.
In AFCON 2025, the group stage has already produced 87 goals, just two short of the 2023 record. Teams such as Nigeria, Mali, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Egypt, and others showed strong attacking intent, underlining how African football continues to evolve tactically.
AFCON Group Stage Goals Since 24-Team Expansion
| AFCON Edition | Host Country | Group Stage Goals | Top Scorer | Champions | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Egypt | 68 | Odion Ighalo (5) | Algeria | Senegal |
| 2021 | Cameroon | 68 | Vincent Aboubakar | Senegal | Egypt |
| 2023 | Côte d’Ivoire | 89 | Emilio Nsue | Côte d’Ivoire | Nigeria |
| 2025 | Morocco | 87 | — | — | — |
With AFCON 2025 still progressing into the knockout stages, the high number of group-stage goals further confirms that African teams are becoming more expressive, confident, and attack-minded on the continental stage.
