CAF Africa Cup of Nations: The weight of the crown

Winning the Africa Cup of Nations is the pinnacle of continental football. But history shows that defending the crown is a burden few have carried with grace.

The champions often return to the next tournament with expectation heavy on their shoulders, only to find the throne far harder to keep than to claim. Catch all the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations action LIVE on SuperSport.

Egypt, the Pharaohs, set the tone in the late 1950s and early ’60s. Champions in 1959, they returned as runners-up in 1962—a noble defense that hinted at dynasty.

Ethiopia (1963) and Ghana (1965) followed suit, with Ghana even managing to retain their crown in 1965 before finishing runners-up in 1968.

These were the years of continental pioneers, when the Cup of Nations was still finding its rhythm, and defending champions still dared to dream of back-to-back glory.

THE CURSE OF THE GROUP STAGE

From the 1970s onward, the story darkened. Zaire, Sudan, Congo Brazzaville, Morocco, Nigeria, and Ghana all stumbled at the group stage in successive tournaments.

The champions’ aura seemed to fade quickly, as the hunter became the hunted. By the 1980s, even giants like Cameroon (1986 runners-up, but group stage exits in 1990) and Egypt (1988 group stage) discovered how unforgiving the crown could be.

The 1990s brought drama beyond the pitch. Nigeria, champions in 1994, were forced to withdraw in 1996 after a political row with hosts South Africa—a reminder that football’s fate is never sealed on the field alone. South Africa themselves, champions in 1996, reached the final in 1998 but fell short. Algeria (1992) and Ivory Coast (1994) both managed only third-place finishes, proving that even strong squads could falter under the weight of expectation.

EGYPT’S GOLDEN EXCEPTION

The Pharaohs rewrote the script in the 2000s. After a quarterfinal exit in 2000, Egypt roared back to win in 2008 and 2010, becoming the only side in modern history to defend their title successfully—twice. Yet even they were not immune to the curse: by 2012, the seven-time champions failed to qualify altogether.

The 2010s and 2020s have been marked by disappointment for defending champions. Zambia (2013), Ivory Coast (2017), Cameroon (2019), Algeria (2022), and Senegal (2024) all failed to progress beyond the early rounds. Nigeria, champions in 2013, didn’t even qualify in 2015. The pattern is stark: in the last 15 years, no defending champion has reached the semifinals.

The Africa Cup of Nations has proven time and again that defending the crown is harder than winning it. The champions arrive as marked men, every opponent sharpening their blades for the chance to slay a king. Only Egypt, in their golden era, managed to defy the curse. For everyone else, the crown has been a weight too heavy to bear.

How Africa Cup of Nations defending champions performed:

1959: Egypt - champions

1962: Egypt - runners-up

1963: Ethiopia - 4th

1965: Ghana - champions

1968: Ghana - runners-up

1970: Zaire - Gp B, 4th

1972: Sudan - Gp B, 4th

1974: Congo Brazzaville - 4th

1976: Zaire - Gp B, 4th

1878: Morocco - Gp B, 3rd

1980: Ghana - Gp B, 3rd

1982: Nigeria - Gp B, 3rd

1984: Ghana - Gp B, 3rd

1986: Cameroon - runners-up

1988: Egypt - Gp B, 3rd

1990: Cameroon - Gp B, 3rd

1992: Algeria - Gp C, 3rd

1994: Ivory Coast - 3rd

1996: Nigeria - withdrew after political row with hosts South Africa

1998: South Africa - runners-up

2000: Egypt - quarterfinals

2002: Cameroon - champions

2004: Cameroon - quarterfinals

2006: Tunisia - quarterfinals

2008: Egypt - champions

2010: Egypt - champions

2012: Egypt - did not qualify

2013: Zambia - Gp C, 3rd

2015: Nigeria - did not qualify

2017: Ivory Coast - Gp C, 3rd

2019: Cameroon - Last 16

2022: Algeria - Gp E, 4th

2024: Senegal - Last 16