The 1972 African Cup of Nations Final was a football match that took place on 5 March 1972, at the Stade Omnisports in Yaoundé, Cameroon, to determine the winner of the 1972 African Cup of Nations. Congo defeated Mali 3–2 with two goals from M'Bono and a goal from M'Pelé, against one goal from Diakhité and another from M. Traoré to win their first African Cup.
Road to the final
Match
Details
 | 
 |  
| GK | 
1 | 
Maxime Matsima
 |  
| DF | 
2 | 
Gabriel Dengaki
 |  
| DF | 
3 | 
Alphonse Niangou
 |  
| DF | 
4 | 
Joseph Ngassaki
 |  
| DF | 
5 | 
Jacques Yvon Ndolou (c)
 |  
| MF | 
18 | 
Jean-Bertrand Balékita
 |  
| MF | 
6 | 
Noël Minga-Tchibinda
 |  
| MF | 
12 | 
Joseph Matongo | 
 | 
  77'
 |  
| MF | 
9 | 
Paul Mbemba
 |  
| FW | 
10 | 
Paul Moukila | 
 | 
  48'
 |  
| FW | 
20 | 
François M'Pelé
 |  
| Substitutions:
 |  
| FW | 
19 | 
Jean-Michel M'Bono | 
 | 
  48'
 |  
| FW | 
11 | 
Jean-Michel Ongagna | 
 | 
  77'
 |  
| Manager:
 |  
  Adolphe "Amoyen" Bibandzoulou
 |   
 | 
 | 
 | 
External links
 | 
|---|
| Editions |  | 
|---|
| Qualification |  | 
|---|
| Finals |  | 
|---|
| Bids |  | 
|---|
| Squads |  | 
|---|
| Statistics |  | 
|---|
| Miscellaneous |  | 
|---|
- Notes
 
- The 2021 and 2023 tournaments were actually held in 2022 and 2024 respectively.
 
- There were no 1957 and 1959 qualifications as places were given by invitation only.
 
- The "finals" articles for 1959 and 1976 are about the decisive matches of final group stages.
  
  Football in Africa portal 
  | 
 
 | 
|---|
| General |  | 
|---|
| Stadiums |  | 
|---|
| Players |  | 
|---|
| Records and statistics |  | 
|---|
| Africa Cup of Nations |  | 
|---|
| African Nations Championship |  | 
|---|
| Notable matches |  | 
|---|
| Other Malian teams |  | 
|---|
 
 | 
|---|
| General |  | 
|---|
| Stadium |  | 
|---|
| Africa Cup of Nations |  | 
|---|
| Noted matches |  | 
|---|
| Other FECOFOOT teams |  | 
|---|