Afcon 2025: Can Morocco seal continental glory on home soil?

Morocco hosts the Africa Cup of Nations in 2025 and aims to translate years of national effort into continental glory at home.

Morocco last won the Africa Cup in 1976. Since then, progress has been steady rather than dramatic, and hosting Afcon offers a pivotal chance to convert that long journey into silverware on home soil.

Infrastructure behind the ambition

Morocco has poured resources into football facilities, including two flagship centers named after King Mohammed VI. The Mohammed VI Football Academy and the Mohammed VI Training Complex serve players from youth through the senior ranks, pairing elite coaching with education, housing, and sports science support.

“This evolution in Moroccan football is the result of long-term planning and a national project backed by top government leadership,” says Bounouar.

The king outlined a vision to use football as a catalyst for social and economic development in 2008, opening the academy in 2009 and the training complex in 2019 at a cost of about £48.5 million. The aim was to provide youngsters with modern facilities, excellent coaches, quality education, and a healthy environment.

That system has created a steady talent pipeline for domestic clubs and the national team, with more players reaching the top levels in Europe.

Nigerian photographer Sulaiman Adebayo, who has visited Morocco many times, notes the rise is a deliberate, strategic effort rather than chance.

There is debate at home about investment size: some call for more social spending, while many see football as a unifying national project that can raise Morocco’s global profile, including tourism.

Grassroots participation has grown, and there is greater acceptance of girls in football, aided by the Atlas Lionesses reaching successive Women’s Cup of Nations finals on home soil and captain Ghizlane Chebbak earning Africa’s female player of the year.

Hakimi: the captain and focal point

Morocco enters the home tournament as the clear favourite. The team has won 18 consecutive matches—the longest current streak in men’s international football—scoring 50 goals and conceding only four in 20 months, though the level of opposition has varied.

Captain Achraf Hakimi anchors the squad, supported by goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, playmaker Brahim Diaz, and other top players. A lingering ankle issue may affect Hakimi’s participation, but the coach has said the side will adapt if needed and that Hakimi remains essential both on the field and in the locker room.

Morocco’s campaign opens against Comoros on Sunday at 19:00 GMT, with fans hoping the recent run translates into home glory.

Amrabat notes that this is a unique moment for the team to deliver joy to the people on home soil.

Expert insight

Expert comment: Home advantage paired with a strong development program gives Morocco a solid chance to go far in Afcon 2025.

Expert comment: Success here could serve as a blueprint for the broader future of African football.

Short summary

Morocco hosts Afcon 2025 with a clear pathway from youth academies to a World Cup breakthrough. Heavy investment in facilities and talent development has created a strong pipeline, and a home triumph would signal a new era for African football.

Key insight: Hosting Afcon 2025 could mark a turning point for Morocco’s long-term football project and raise Africa’s profile in world football. BBC Sport

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