AFCON 2025 is almost upon us, and with it comes renewed hope for nations across the continent.

From tournament favorites to the underdog hopefuls, every team dreams that this could be their year. Yet in knockout football, success isn’t just about the players on the pitch — it’s also about the tactical decisions that shape every match.

African football has evolved dramatically in recent years, with many teams adopting a more hybrid style of play that mixes traditional flair with structured, modern tactics.

But what do these tactical setups actually look like, and why are they so crucial? In part one of this article series, we take a deep dive into the on-ball strategies likely to be deployed at AFCON 2025.

IN POSSESSION: FORMATIONS, ROLES AND SETUPS

Before a ball is even kicked, broadcasters often show the lineups and formations of both teams. It’s become normal to see players lined up on a virtual pitch in shapes like 4-3-3, 4-2-3-1, or even the classic 4-4-2.

While these formations provide a theoretical blueprint, the reality on the pitch can be very different. Once the match begins, players shift and read each other in real time, making the pre-match setup little more than a starting point for what actually unfolds.

The 2023 edition of AFCON saw an average of 622 successful passes per game, with a pass accuracy of around 81% — the highest in recent tournament history. A key factor behind this surge was the proximity of players on the pitch.

Passes are generally easier and more accurate when the player on the ball has two or more teammates to choose from.

Imagine a simple drill: passing an object from one person to another. The closer the people are to each other, the less effort is required to move said object quickly and accurately. The same thing applies to the beautiful game. When teammates stay close and support each other, ball circulation becomes more accurate.

To achieve this level of precision, coaches in the 2023 AFCON often relied on a simple yet effective tactic: overloads.

An overload occurs when one team creates a numerical advantage in a specific area or zone of the pitch. The trick is actually quite simple— position enough players in a particular area — whether in the middle of the park or out wide — to make it seem like a team has more players than the opposition. The purpose is always the same: gain numerical superiority and make passing easier.

For all the good they do though, overloads cannot be created if teams rigidly stick to the formations shown before kickoff.

Imagine two teams lining up in a standard 4-3-3 and never deviating from it. They would basically cancel each other out, and the match would eventually come down to who has the better individual players.

Coaches are keen to avoid exactly that.

While they trust the individual quality within their squads, maximizing those abilities requires more than talent alone. The key lies in how formations adapt when teams are in possession. Several of these tactics are likely to feature at this year’s AFCON. Let’s break them down.

THE 2-4-4 FORMATION

I know what you’re thinking, and yes, I meant to type 2-4-4. Not the widely known 4-4-2 — but the odd-looking, modern, fluid 2-4-4.

This setup has quietly become one of the most effective in modern football, and we’ll almost certainly see it at AFCON 2025.

In this system, the two fullbacks push as high as possible, stepping into midfield and forming a natural line of four — similar to the midfield you would normally see in a classic 4-4-2.

The magic of this is that it allows the two defensive midfielders (the 6s) to keep their positions and shield the two centre-backs behind them. This gives the team both structure and security while maintaining a numerical advantage in the middle —two birds killed with one tactical stone.

Ahead of this midfield line sit four attackers, often positioned in a straight horizontal line before receiving the ball. The wide midfielders then push on to join the two strikers, operating almost like wide forwards.

At first glance, this looks chaotic.

How are four forwards in a straight line supposed to play together? Why are there four forwards in a straight line? Where’s the fluidity? Where’s the rotation? These are all valid questions.

So let’s take a closer look at why the 2-4-4 works so well

Why does the 2-4-4 Work?

It pins the opposition backline. In football, opposing teams react to the shape of the team in possession. More often than not, pressure is applied to where the ball is.

Now picture this. If a coach wants to play exciting, high-pressing football, he or she will normally push full-backs up to pressure the ball and support the midfield. Think of the Pep’s and Klopp’s of this world — they all aim to win the ball back as fast and as high up the pitch as possible.

But if the opposing team positions four attackers across a backline, that plan can quickly fall apart. Why? Simply put, four attackers demand the attention of four defenders. It forces defenders to stay put. Full-backs have to remain deep, which pins the opposition further and further into their own half.

It’s a strategy many teams now adopt to stop Arsenal’s dangerous set-pieces. Instead of pushing all their players back, teams intentionally leave three or four attackers upfield.

This forces Mikel Arteta to hold his defenders back, making it easier to defend corners or free-kicks from the Gunners.

The 2-4-4 works in exactly the same way. It pushes the opponent so deep that the four-man midfield line suddenly has far more time and space to operate. And in football, time and space are gold.

On paper, it might seem strange. On the pitch, however, it creates major problems. Guinea used this system prominently under head coach Kaba Diawara in 2023, with great effect — and I have no doubt teams will use it even more this year.

THE 2-4-3-1 SHAPE

Again, I know — this looks like a typo at first glance. But no, this is a real and increasingly common shape many teams use during possession. It’s not the classic 4-2-3-1 we’re all used to. It’s the highly effective 2-4-3-1, a structure that shares similarities with the 2-4-4 but adds one crucial twist..

In this system, one striker pushes high, while three attackers operate just behind him. The goal? Chaos and confusion.

You see, sometimes in football, simply having a numerical isn’t enough. You need some disruption, some chaos.

Try to picture a scenario where a number 10 positions himself between the opponent’s midfield and defensive lines. On paper, the defending team may look organised — but on the field, it triggers a dilemma:

- Should the defensive line step up to mark him?

- Or should the midfield drop deeper to close the gap?

Both are theoretically correct. But in real match situations, teams often end up doing neither — not because they want to, but because of poor communication. In the heat of the battle, it’s hard to pick up everything all the time.

The defenders expect the midfield to handle it; the midfield assumes the defenders will push up. That moment of hesitation creates an advantage for the team on the ball.

The result?  The number 10 is left unattended in a massive pocket of space.

And that space can be deadly.

As mentioned earlier, this concept isn’t far from the 2-4-4 shape. The difference is that here, the space is engineered through the movement and positioning of the number 10.

 He may be alone centrally, but his presence forces the opposition into indecision — stretching their shape and opening spaces for the striker ahead of him. Players like Lamine Camara (Senegal) perform this role excellently.

Because of this, don’t be surprised if teams rely heavily on the 2-4-3-1 shape at this year’s AFCON. It’s simple, practical, and effective in shifting defensive structures.

Now, as seen above, formations and shapes are very crucial in how teams perform.

Now, as seen above, formations and shapes are crucial to team performance. Within these structures, however, each player has a specific role to perform. Below, I take a closer look at the roles we can expect teams to use at AFCON 2025 and why they are so important.

Player roles in possession - The Fullback

Once considered bit-part contributors, the fullback position has undergone one of the most dramatic evolutions in modern football. Traditionally, they were tasked with defending wide areas, supporting the winger occasionally, and recycling possession when necessary. They weren’t the stars of the show in the slightest. But that era is long gone. So what changed?

Why Have FullBacks Become So Important?

Think about the modern game for a second. With advanced scouting, analytics and increasingly detailed coaching, it has become very difficult for flair players to consistently decide matches on their own.

Teams now: double-mark wingers, sit in compact low blocks, cut off passing lanes, and aggressively isolate the most dangerous attackers.

The result? The unpredictable, dribble-heavy, “get you off your seat” style of the past has gone out the proverbial window. Games are much slower and methodical.

Because of this, teams needed to find a new source of creativity. An ace up their sleeve almost. That’s where the fullback came into play. The modern fullback is no longer an assistant to the attack and it will be no different during AFCON 2025.

There is one particular style of fullback play, however, that will likely be used more than any other this year.

The Inverted Fullback

No African country uses this setup quite like Morocco under Walid Regragui. Unfortunately for him, his most trusted weapon for this style — Achraf Hakimi — won’t be available this time. But even without their star fullback, there is little doubt that Morocco, and several other African sides, will use it heavily at AFCON 2025.

In this role, the fullback has the license to step into central areas when his team has the ball.

Instead of staying wide, he moves into midfield and helps create a numerical overload in the engine room of the pitch.

As mentioned earlier, the entire purpose of modern possession play is simple: outnumber your opponent in as many key zones as possible. By pushing a full-back into midfield, a team can instantly transform a three-man midfield into a four, making ball progression far smoother.

But that’s only part of the advantage.

When fullbacks invert, they gain entry to new spaces and new types of deliveries into the box. Instead of whipping crosses from the touchline — where the touch line acts as an extra defender and limits space — the inverted fullback can receive the ball centrally, with more time, more vision, and more room to pick his pass.

This opens the door for disguised through balls, clipped passes, and dangerous cutbacks that are much harder to anticipate.

Perhaps the biggest benefit, though, is how difficult it becomes for the opposition to track their movements. Defending is easier when opponents remain in predictable zones. If I know where you are coming from, it's much easier to stop.

But an inverted fullback can start centrally, drift between the lines, and suddenly burst beyond the winger from deep positions. These late, unexpected runs are extremely hard to pick up.

This is exactly why players like Achraf Hakimi and Trent Alexander-Arnold have thrived in this role. They create constant problems for defenses.

With players like Noussair Mazraoui (Morocco) and Ola Aina (Nigeria) available and comfortable in these hybrid roles, expect to see this tactic used frequently at AFCON 2025.

Conclusion

Formations and structures matter — but within those structures, each player has specific roles that define how a team performs. The 2-4-4, the 2-4-3-1, and advanced fullback roles will all shape how teams build attacks at AFCON 2025.

In Part Two, we’ll look at defensive strategies, out-of-possession setups, and pressing systems likely to feature in this year’s tournament.