AFCON 2025 Group Stage: Second-Highest Goal Tally Since 24-Team Format with 87 Goals

The group stage of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) witnessed a remarkable goal tally, with 87 goals scored, just two goals shy of the Ivory Coast edition, which recorded 89 goals.

The Ivory Coast edition (AFCON 2023) currently holds the record for the highest number of goals since the 24-team format was adopted at the 2019 AFCON in Egypt.

According to the data, the goals were distributed across the six groups as follows: Group A saw 9 goals scored, while Group B recorded 14 goals.

Group C was the highest-scoring with 20 goals, while Group D registered 13 goals. Group E accumulated 14 goals, and Group F concluded its group stage matches with 17 goals.

As the tournament enters its knockout stages, the question remains whether the current edition can surpass the historical record, or at least come close, given the presence of distinguished attacking players and a clear desire among teams to go far in pursuit of the title.