In this study, cobalt-doped carbon xerogel (Co-CX) was synthesised via sol-gel polymerisation of phenolic compounds (i.e., resorcinol, phenol and m-cresol) and formaldehyde, and this polymerisation was catalysed by cobalt nitrate and followed by a carbonisation process. The effect of the initial pH value (5.5, 6.5 and 7.5) as well as the type of carbon precursors on the structural properties of Co-CX was investigated via field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) and X-ray diffractometry (XRD). The catalytic activity of Co-CX for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 0.1 M KOH was studied using a rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) technique. The structural properties and ORR activities were affected by different initial pH values as well as the type of carbon precursor. A carbon precursor consisting of resorcinol-formaldehyde with an initial pH value of 7.5 exhibited the best catalytic activity. The initial pH plays an important role in promoting micro/mesopores. The FESEM and BET results revealed that Co doping promotes the formation of additional pores. The RRDE result indicated that Co-CX exhibited good catalytic activity that tends to favour a four-electron pathway. (C) 2018 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.