Ghanaian legend, Asamoah Gyan has tipped Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Morocco as the favorites to win the 2025 African Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The all-time Black Stars top scorer explained that the Super Eagles have a formidable squad that will compete strongly for the trophy, taking into consideration their performance in the 2023 AFCON, where they lost in the final.
The former Sunderland striker also indicated that host nation Morocco, with several consistent key players, are also favorite to win the title for the first time since 1976.
CAF 2025 Awards: Complete winners list revealed
Gyan’s last pick was defending champions Ivory Coast, who won the previous edition. He believes they will be a threat as they have maintained the core of their team.
“I think we’ve got a lot of giants going there… Ivory Coast did well too. We have a lot of strong teams, Morocco is also a strong contender. I’ll say the three countries I’ve mentioned are Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Morocco. I also like some other nations,” he told the media during the 2025 CAF Awards ceremony.
Gyan stated that the Black Stars’ absence from the tournament hurts him a lot, but he is happy that they made amends by securing qualification for the 2026 World Cup.
“Ghana is out, which we’re very disappointed about, but it’s okay. We qualified for the World Cup,” he added.
The 2025 AFCON will kick off from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, in Morocco.
Watch the interview below:
Nigeria, Ivory Coast, and Morocco – Asamoah Gyan names his favourites for the 2025 AFCON.#3Sports pic.twitter.com/hNvTsvItm4
— #3Sports (@3SportsGh) November 19, 2025
SB/JE
Meanwhile, watch the feature about Swedru All Blacks’ journey from the Division One to the GPL below

