How to watch free AFCON live stream: Africa Cup of Nations

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If you're looking for the latest guide on how to watch free AFCON live streams, we have everything you need. No matter what country you're in right now, you can enjoy the entire Africa Cup of Nations soccer tournament from anywhere.

We've also combed through affordable paid options in various international markets to find the best prices. For example, in the US, it will only cost you $5 to watch via a streaming bundle that includes the required BeIN channels. If you want to watch for free, check out SABC in South Africa or Channel 4 in the UK. If you're not in the UK or South Africa, you'll need a VPN to get around geo-restrictions and enjoy free AFCON live streams.

A VPN (Virtual Private Network) will simulate your viewing device's location, allowing you to stream feeds on international sites that you'd otherwise be unable to access. We'll give you the rundown on how to do it below.

• See also: Free Champions League live streams

How to watch AFCON live streams for free from anywhere

If you want access to every match of this year's Africa Cup of Nations, we can point you toward two excellent free options in the UK (Channel 4) and South Africa (SABC Sport). If you're outside those countries, you'll need to use a VPN to get around geo-restrictions.

We used SABC back in 2024 without any issues, and we have tested the channel again this year using a VPN. BBC3 hosted a handful of free games last time, but Channel 4 has secured the new tournament in full, and we've had no issues accessing it from overseas via a VPN recently for other content. A small number of matches will be shown on the channel's sports YouTube page.

You can push through any blocks with a VPN and start watching once you set its location to South Africa/UK. A VPN virtually changes your devices' location, so apps and websites think you're connecting from servers within those countries, just like the local viewers.

Don't have a VPN? There's a fantastic offer available right now on one of our trusted favorites that we have been using for years for streaming and enhancing our online security. You can pick up NordVPN, save 77% on the usual price, and get three extra months for free. It's the best investment in your sports-watching future if you know you'll want to watch more international sports streams. It's one of the few reliable VPNs with decent servers in South Africa.

If you're unsatisfied with the VPN, a hassle-free 30-day money-back guarantee is available. Want to learn more about the product? Take a look at our detailed NordVPN review.

How to watch the Africa Cup of Nations with a VPN

• Sign up for a VPN if you don't have one.
• Install it on the device you're using to watch the game.
• Turn it on and set it to the country of the streaming service.
• Go to Channel 4 (UK) | SABC (South Africa)
• Sign in or create a free login if using Channel 4.
• Watch the Africa Cup of Nations.

How to watch the Africa Cup of Nations in the UK

Channel 4 has the rights to every AFCON live stream for every game of the tournament, and its online site is the best place to watch most games split across Channel 4, E4, and 4Seven. A very small number of games will only be shown on the Channel 4 Sport YouTube channel. To view each game's scheduled viewing options, refer to the official list, which currently only includes group stage games.

Both the Channel 4 streaming site and its YouTube channel will require a VPN if you're viewing outside the UK. You will also need to create a free account to view the former and sign in.

How to watch the Africa Cup of Nations in the USA

If you want to watch the AFCON competition online in the USA, you'll find it all on the BeIN channels. If you don't have them in your current package, you can get them for a very affordable deal for the entire tournament, as you only need one month of coverage.

For just $5, Sling TV lets you bag its version of a Soccer Pass without signing up for one of the pricey paid base packages.

That's an absolute steal. If you're outside the US and are thinking of diving in via a VPN, just be aware that you'll need a US payment method to pay for it. Get around that, though, and the same VPN we mentioned above will let you stream the channel.

Alternatively, you can use a VPN to access the free options we mentioned earlier in the UK and South Africa.

What time is the AFCON opening ceremony, and how to watch it

The 2025/2026 AFCON opening ceremony starts at 6:30 p.m. local time in Morocco. That works out at 12:30 p.m. ET / 5:30 p.m. GMT / 1:30 a.m. AWST.

As for viewing options, from browsing various international TV guides, it appears that many countries may not be showing it, or will be running panel discussions and interviews instead. Most coverage only seems to start around 10 minutes before the first game kicks off afterward.

However, SABC Sport, the same channel that will be showing all games for free, does have a dedicated slot for it in its TV guide listings, so that's where we'd head first if it's not showing in your area. As mentioned above, you'll need a VPN to access the content from outside South Africa.

Note: The use of VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.