Data generated from the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco will no longer end with match reports and statistics. Instead, it is being repurposed to directly shape coaching education, tactical understanding, and long-term football development across the continent, following a major overhaul of CAF’s Technical Study Group operations.
For the first time in AFCON history, CAF has implemented a fully integrated, remote-based technical analysis system during the group stage, replacing traditional, manual reporting with a collaborative, data-driven framework.
The new model is designed not only to analyse matches in real time but also to convert those insights into practical resources for coaches, technical departments, and CAF’s education programmes.
The transformation reflects a broader shift in how CAF views technical data. Rather than serving as a retrospective assessment of matches, the information collected is now structured to identify trends, benchmark African football against global standards, and provide concrete learning material rooted in the African game.
A collaborative, technology-driven analysis model
Previously, Technical Study Group members worked largely in isolation, attending matches in stadiums and producing individual reports with limited collaboration.
Reports were handwritten, tactical illustrations were drawn manually, and video support was minimal. According to CAF, that approach limited both consistency and the broader usefulness of the findings.
At Morocco 2025, the group-stage analysis has been conducted remotely, with TSG members organised into four units, each comprising two technical experts and a video analyst.
Each team is assigned a match, produces a full technical report the following day, and then rotates to the next fixture. Daily coordination meetings allow the entire group to align observations, identify patterns, and maintain a competition-wide perspective.
The new structure is supported by advanced technology. Every match is analysed using three parallel sources: the television broadcast feed, a wide-angle tactical camera that captures the entire pitch, and live Opta performance data integrated into CAF’s Red Zone platform.
This combination allows analysts to study team shape, spacing, off-ball movement, and collective organisation in far greater detail than before.
Another significant development is the full integration of video into technical reporting. Tactical observations are now supported by embedded video clips, complete with tracking and animation, allowing coaches and instructors to visualise concepts rather than interpret written descriptions.
Turning AFCON insights into African coaching education
Crucially, the Technical Study Group has shifted its focus from isolated match analysis to trend-based evaluation.
Experts analyse attacking and defensive organisation, transitions, set-pieces, and goal patterns across the tournament, comparing them with prevailing global trends.
CAF has confirmed that the final TSG report will be used as a core reference for its coaching education programmes.
The aim is to ensure African coaches are trained using data, examples, and tactical scenarios drawn directly from African competitions, reducing reliance on external leagues and accelerating the development of the game across the continent.
