Nigeria, Jan. 12 -- As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) enters its decisive stage, a familiar pattern has returned. Nigeria, Senegal, Egypt, and the host nation, Morocco, have booked places in the semi-finals. This ensures that the last four teams are entirely from North and West Africa.

This is not new territory for African football. It is, in fact, a long-running story. AFCON 2025 marks the eighth time in the tournament's history that only North and West African teams have reached the semi-finals. From Cairo to Casablanca, and from Lagos to Dakar, these two regions have shaped the competition more than any others.

A look at the numbers explains why.

Since the tournament began in 1957, North and West Africa have combined to win ...