The festive season is always packed full of football fun, and in 2025, we have the addition of the Africa Cup of Nations.
One of the biggest international tournaments, the continent’s best will battle for glory across Morocco, who you may remember reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup!
The host nation are, of course, the pre-tournament favourites, followed by Egypt, Algeria, Senegal, Nigeria, Tunisia and defending champions Ivory Coast.
What a few weeks of football we have in store, so here are our betting picks for Matchday 1 of the group stage, and you can keep up to date with all the latest AFCON odds right here.
Furthermore, if you wish to include these selections in a combo bet, our Acca Boost feature can increase your potential winnings by up to 50%.
*All odds are subject to change
Morocco to score over 2.5 goals vs Comoros @ 1.94
Host nation Morocco will be out to prove a point in the tournament opener. With a plethora of high-quality players in the squad, namely skipper Achraf Hakimi, the Atlas Lions should be far too strong for Comoros. The 2022 World Cup semi-finalists have lost just two matches since the beginning of 2024, and with Youssef En-Nesyri and Ayoub El Kaabi as striking options, there is a good chance of goals in front of a home crowd.
Senegal vs Botswana: Anytime goalscorer – Iliman Ndiaye @ 2.63
Senegal are blessed with some great attacking talent in Sadio Mane and Nicolas Jackson. But these days, Everton ace Ndiaye may just be the pick of the bunch. He is quietly establishing himself as one of the silkiest operators in the Premier League, combining street football-esque skills with efficiency in the final third. Ndiaye has four top-flight goals for the Toffees this term, and was on target with Senegal in the 4-0 win over Mauritania back in October. So we are backing him to add a fourth goal to his international tally against Botswana.
South Africa to beat Angola @ 2.48
South Africa are certainly a team to keep an eye on at AFCON. Bafana Bafana qualified for the 2026 World Cup as group winners, an achievement which highlights the quality within the squad. While not blessed with any real big-name stars, their cohesion and work ethic makes them dark horses for glory in Morocco. And while Angola are no mugs, we fancy South Africa to start their tournament with a crucial win. Bafana Bafana have not lost a competitive match since June, keeping clean sheets in three of the last four.
Nigeria vs Tanzania: Anytime goalscorer – Victor Osimhen @ 2.10
Galatasaray striker Osimhen is one of the biggest footballing figures in Africa, and Nigeria’s hopes of glory hinge on him having a prolific tournament. He has a superb international record heading to AFCON, with 31 goals in just 45 appearances. And Osimhen has been brilliant on club duty in Turkey this season, tallying 12 goals across all competitions – six of them coming in the Champions League. So betting on him to start with a bang against Tanzania, who are not exactly one of the powerhouses of African football, feels like a good move – especially with the odds on offer.
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