AFCON: Sudan's record edition by edition

Africa 20 December 2025 at 08:00

Mahdi Zakaria LAZRI

News Editor

Sudan holds a unique place in the history of the Africa Cup of Nations. As a pioneering nation present from the very first edition in 1957, the Jediane Falcons long stood as a continental benchmark, crowned by a historic home triumph in 1970. That golden era continues to shape the identity of a national team respected for its rich legacy.

See also: AFCON: Mozambique's record edition by edition

While the following decades proved more erratic, marked by repeated absences and early exits, Sudan never completely vanished from the African football scene. Their qualification for AFCON 2025 in Morocco is a testament to their determination to revive a long-dormant tradition.

This latest continental appearance serves as a reminder that Sudan remains a special footballing nation, rich in a prestigious past and driven by the ambition to reclaim its former standing.

Sudan's AFCON participations:

• 1957 (Sudan): finalist
• 1959 (Egypt): third place
• 1963 (Ghana): finalist
• 1968 (Ethiopia): group stage
• 1970 (Sudan): champions
• 1972 (Cameroon): group stage
• 2008 (Ghana): group stage
• 2012 (Gabon/Equatorial Guinea): quarter-finals
• 2021 (Cameroon): group stage
• 2025 (Morocco): qualified, competition upcoming