As the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in Morocco takes a two-day break ahead of the quarterfinals, attention turns not only to the teams still in contention, but also to a familiar and troubling reality — East Africa is once again absent from the business end of Africa’s biggest football tournament.
All East African representatives have now been eliminated, extending a long-standing pattern of underperformance on the continental stage.
Tanzania’s Brave Run Ends in the Round of 16
Among the region’s teams, Tanzania emerged as East Africa’s strongest performer at AFCON 2025. The Taifa Stars advanced to the Round of 16, showing improved organisation, discipline, and belief before being eliminated by host nation Morocco.
While the exit was disappointing, Tanzania’s campaign provided a rare positive takeaway for the region, proving that East African teams can compete when preparation and structure align. However, one team reaching the knockout phase remains far below the benchmark set by Africa’s top footballing regions.
Early Exits for Sudan and Uganda
Elsewhere, Sudan and Uganda failed to progress beyond the group stage, struggling against tactically superior and more experienced opponents. Despite flashes of quality, both sides were undone by lapses in concentration, limited attacking efficiency, and a lack of depth.
More worrying is the broader picture: several East African nations failed to qualify altogether for AFCON 2025, highlighting the widening gap between the region and Africa’s elite footballing nations.
A Persistent Pattern of Underperformance
East Africa’s inability to consistently reach the latter stages of AFCON is no longer coincidental — it is systemic. While North and West African teams continue to dominate, backed by competitive domestic leagues, world-class academies, and players exposed to elite football environments, East Africa remains constrained by structural and institutional challenges.
Key issues include:
- Underdeveloped grassroots and youth systems
- Limited investment in domestic leagues
- Inconsistent coaching standards and tactical identity
- Governance challenges within football federations
- Minimal exposure of players to high-level competition
Without addressing these foundations, progress remains fragile and short-lived.
What Must Change?
To reverse this trend, East African football must shift from short-term tournament preparation to long-term development planning. Priority areas include:
- Sustainable youth academies and school football programs
- Coaching education aligned with modern football demands
- Stronger, commercially viable domestic leagues
- Transparent governance and accountable leadership
- Regional collaboration to raise competitive standards
These reforms are no longer optional — they are essential.
The Road Ahead
Tanzania’s Round of 16 appearance at AFCON 2025 shows that improvement is possible, but isolated success is not transformation. East Africa must aim not just to participate, but to consistently challenge Africa’s best.
As the quarterfinals kick off in Morocco, the absence of East African teams should serve as a wake-up call. Talent exists — systems must follow.
At Florsport International Limited, we remain committed to providing honest, constructive analysis that pushes African football forward.