It’s 2025, and African sports fans have a lot to enjoy in many sports, from football (both), to NBA, BAL, college sports, cricket, team Springboks rugby, and more.
Importantly, African stars will look to dominate another season of the National Women Soccer League (NWSL) in America, after Temwa Chawinga and Barbra Banda stole the headlines for Kansas City Current and 2024 champions Orlando Pride respectively.
If all goes well, African athletes will also take center stage in the NFL playoffs, the College Football National Championship, and March Madness, where South Sudanese basketball player Khaman Maluach (Duke) will be one of the players. of Africa chasing glory.
The African Women’s Cup of Nations (WAFCON) will see Banyana Banyana determined to defend their title against fierce rivals like Super Falcon. Meanwhile, the African Cup of Nations (AFCON) – also in Morocco – gives the host nation the chance to make history with their Golden Generation.
Cricket fans will brace themselves as the Proteas compete in the ICC Champions Trophy, looking to end their quest for silverware, while the Springboks vs All Blacks Tests could mark the start of a new rugby season.
WAFCON: Can Banyana bounce back?
The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) promises intense competition as Africa’s top women’s teams meet in Morocco from 5 to 26 July. The reigning champions of South Africa will be determined to defend their title, depending on their victory in 2022.
However, long-time favourites, Super Falcons of Nigeria, are determined to regain their dominance after being relegated.
With Morocco hosting the tournament, the Atlas Lionesses will have a home advantage and will be strong contenders, especially after reaching the 2022 final. Emerging talents from other nations add to the mix, ensuring that this publication will be vigorously contested.
Zambia are also a team to watch, with Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji two of the many NWSL stars to watch in this tournament.
AFCON 2025: Can Morocco’s Golden Generation deliver on home soil?
The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) will be held in Morocco from 21 December 2025 to 18 January 2026, providing the perfect venue for the host nation’s Golden Generation.
They will face strong competition from the likes of Senegal, Algeria, and Nigeria, as well as threats like South Africa. With a passionate home support and world-class talent, Morocco has the quality and depth to succeed. Can they rise to the occasion and make history?
NWSL: Will African stars rule again?
The 2024 NWSL season saw African stars dominate the most popular women’s soccer league in the world.
Before the start of the season, Racheal Kundananji’s then world record transfer to Bay FC from Madrid CFF hinted at the upcoming African revolution in American women’s team soccer.
It was her Zambian counterpart, Barbra Banda, who won the tournament with the Orlando Pride, scoring the winning goal in the final against the Washington Spirit. Meanwhile, Malawi’s Temwa Chawinga (Kansas City Current) broke the single-season scoring record and was the league’s MVP.
As the 2025 season approaches, it will not be surprising if Africa once again plays a central role in the outcome. Find out what’s happening on ESPN Africa.
NFL Playoffs and Super Bowl: African stars in action
With the NFL wild card playoff starting on January 11, all eyes will be on football on ESPN Africa until the Super Bowl on February 9.
There will probably be a few African stars playing at least until the end of the season. From the Kansas City Chiefs’ Felix Anudike-Uzomah and Charles Omenihu to the Seattle Seahawks’ Boye Mafe to the Houston Texans’ Dare Ogunbowale, there are plenty of players with continental ties who could be heading to the New Super Bowl. Orleans. .
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The best sports moments of 2024
As we close the book on 2024, we are reminded of the greatness that is being pursued and what remains to be achieved in 2025.
College Football: National Championship Game
Also on ESPN, the College Football Playoffs will end with the National Championship game on January 20. Last season, Rome Odunze starred for Washington when it lost to Michigan.
The game may not have gone the way the wide receiver with ties to Nigeria wanted, but the time that got him there was worth celebrating and now he is in the NFL with the Chicago Bears.
College Basketball: Can Maluach and El Alfy bring home championships?
South Sudan’s Khaman Maluach is one of several African players who have made an impact in the ongoing college basketball season on ESPN. NBA Africa’s rookie center has contributed greatly to expected first-round pick Cooper Flagg early in the season and Duke looks like a National Championship contender.
Among the dark horses are the Florida Gators, inspired by Nigeria’s Rueben Chinyelu. The 6-foot-10 center has helped the Gators get off to a perfect start in the SEC to rocket to the top with 10 straight wins.
Egypt’s Jana El Alfy has returned from a long injury layoff for UConn, adjusting well to Geno Auriemma’s system and contributing to a team that looks poised to challenge for the Women’s Championship.
ICC Champions Trophy: Can Proteas break their curse?
The ICC Champions Trophy will return in 2025, and the Proteas are determined to end their trophy drought. Despite having produced world-class talent for decades, South Africa has been plagued by not being able to win an ICC event since the 1998 Champions Trophy.
With a mix of veterans and up-and-coming stars, the team enters the tournament hungry for success. They have struggled in the 50-over format recently, but Pakistan and the UAE, will be hoping to turn recent World Cup failures into silverware in this tournament.
Fans will be hoping that the Proteas can overcome past setbacks, stay calm under pressure and finally win the elusive international title. Could 2025 be South African cricket’s breakthrough year?
BAL Season 5: Will there be a new fifth champion?
The Basketball Africa League (BAL) will return for a fifth edition, in April. This time, the playoffs and finals will be held in Pretoria – the first time they have been played outside Kigali.
Four different teams from three different countries have won the BAL in its first four seasons, marking the continent’s most competitive basketball tournament.
With new teams such as Al Ittihad of Egypt, Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya and FUS Rabat of Morocco are some of the contenders who have never won the competition but have every chance of relegation defending champions Petro de Luanda.
NBA All-Star Game & Playoffs: Which African star will shine the brightest?
When Hakeem Olajuwon emerged as the first African to truly dominate the NBA, it was a time when it was still very new. Now, African players are among the leading forces in the All-Star Game and the playoffs more often than not.
Joel Embiid hasn’t had a strong start to the season, but the 2023 NBA MVP can’t be counted out. Giannis Antetokounmpo and Pascal Siakam are among the established stars, but rising star Victor Wembanyama also has ties to Africa – DR Congo – and is getting better every week.
It’s hard to predict who will play this year in such a crowded field, but what we do know is that the action will be on ESPN Africa.
The Springboks look to bounce back
South Africa have never won a Rugby Championship in their history – not even since the Tri-Nations era.
However, by winning a second consecutive Rugby World Cup in 2023 before winning the Rugby Championship in 2024, they have proved they can rewrite history.
It will be tough to retain their Rugby Championship crown in 2025 with two Tests from the All Blacks. However, this is a side capable of achieving the previously unthinkable.
IAAF Indoor World Championships: Olympic Progress
Africa has always had some of the best in athletics. However, at the recent Olympic Games in Paris, the continent showed that it is ready to produce stars on a scale we have never seen before – especially young athletes like Bayanda I’m sorry.
The 2025 World Athletics Championships will be held in Tokyo from 13-21 September and there will be plenty of stars for African fans to watch regardless of their preferred destination.
You can watch NBA, NFL, College Sports, NWSL, and European soccer on ESPN Africa channels (DStv 218 and 219, Starsat 248).
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