Yes, they can. You might find they're marginally slower to pair than they would be with an iPhone, but the difference is negligible. However, if you are using AirPods with an Android, you'll miss out on features like auto-pause or the ability to customize noise cancellation. That's worth considering if you have an Android phone and you're about to pay quite a hefty price for a pair of AirPods.
For more information about how AirPods work with Android phones and step-by-step instructions, read our what non-iPhone users need to know about Apple earbuds guide.