Channel 4 showing EVERY Africa Cup of Nations game with exclusive rights package in UK and Ireland

Channel 4 have won exclusive rights to broadcast the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in the United Kingdom and Ireland.

The 35^th edition of the tournament kicks off on December 21 in Morocco and sees 24 countries compete for the continent’s ultimate prize.

The historic deal reached between the broadcaster and the Confédération Africaine de Football (CAF) marks the first time the competition will be available to watch for free in the UK and Ireland.

How to watch AFCON in the UK for free

All 52 matches taking place, from the opener on December 21 to the final on January 18, will be shown live on Channel 4’s network.

Games will be broadcast on Channel 4, E4, 4Seven, streaming services and the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel, giving UK and Irish viewers the chance to watch the best African football has to offer, including Premier League stars such as Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Cameroon’s Bryan Mbeumo.

The Liverpool legend and Manchester United new boy are just two of an expected 43 players from England’s top division who will compete for their countries over the month-long tournament.

Manchester United United will also be without Ivory Coast’s Amad Diallo and Morocco’s Noussair Mazraoui, while Manchester City will miss Egypt’s Omar Marmoush.

Salah and Marmoush will team up in an attempt to add to their nation’s record seven titles and secure a first continental victory since 2010. Salah has twice been on the losing side in the final, most famously in 2021 when a penalty shootout defeat to Senegal handed then-teammate Sadio Mane the crown.

Amad and Aston Villa’s Evann Guessand will be looking to retain the title won in dramatic fashion in 2023, when the Ivory Coast sacked their manager mid-tournament and still won a third title.

The likely most-affected Premier League side is Sunderland who could be without seven players for up to six league games including stars Bertrand Traore and Noah Sadiki, while Fulham will lose Alex Iwobi, Calvin Bassey and Samuel Chukwueze, who have been called into the provisional Nigeria squad.

Pete Andrews, Channel 4 head of sport said: “Bringing the excitement and drama of the African Cup of Nations exclusively to UK free-to-air television for the first time is such a compelling proposition for Channel 4.

"So many Premier League stars will be playing in the tournament and having Liverpool legend Mo Salah on Channel 4 on Boxing Day, when traditional Premier League football coverage has been reduced elsewhere, means football fans will still be able to get their thrill of festive fixtures.”

The tournament kicks off with a clash between hosts Morocco and minnows Comoros at 19:00 GMT on December 21st, which will be shown on E4 and Channel 4 streaming.