Morocco claimed its first Africa Cup of Nations title at the 1976 tournament, which introduced a knockout final stage to the competition.
Key Facts
- Edition
- 10th Africa Cup of Nations
- Host country
- Ethiopia
- Champion
- Morocco (first title)
- Runner-up
- Guinea
- Teams
- 8 teams in two groups of four
- Format change
- Semi-final and final knockout stage introduced
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Following the 1974 edition, the Confederation of African Football revised the tournament format to add a knockout final stage, mirroring the structure used at the 1974 and 1978 FIFA World Cups. Eight national teams were selected to compete, split into two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing.
The 1976 Africa Cup of Nations was hosted by Ethiopia and featured eight teams divided into two first-stage groups of four. The top two finishers from each group advanced to semi-finals and a final. Morocco topped the final group stage to claim the championship, with Guinea finishing as runners-up.
Morocco secured its first continental football championship, establishing itself as a major African footballing nation. The tournament also marked the last Africa Cup of Nations held in East Africa until the 2027 edition, jointly awarded to Kenya, Tanzania, and Uganda.