AFCON 2025: Why Morocco Believe This Is Their Time

As the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations kicks off on Sunday, host nation Morocco are hoping the tournament will mark the crowning moment of a carefully executed long-term vision to establish themselves as Africa’s dominant football force.

The Atlas Lions have not lifted the AFCON trophy since their historic triumph in Ethiopia in 1976, a drought that has lingered for nearly five decades. That long wait stands in sharp contrast to Morocco’s recent rise on the global stage, highlighted by their remarkable run to the semi-finals of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where they became the first African nation to reach that stage.

“Every time I put [on] the Moroccan jersey, it’s like an amazing feeling,” midfielder Sofyan Amrabat told the BBC World Service. The former Manchester United player was a central figure in that World Cup campaign and is eager to replicate that success on home soil.

“It’s difficult to explain. It’s something you feel inside in your heart,” the 29-year-old added. “I’m really looking forward to this Afcon, especially because it’s at home. And of course, we hope it’s going to be ours.”

For Moroccan football analyst Jalal Bounouar, expectations could not be clearer. “Morocco’s primary and most immediate goal is to win Afcon,” he told BBC Sport Africa. “Winning the continental title is seen as the final piece of the puzzle.”

Morocco’s recent football achievements have only intensified that belief. After their World Cup heroics, the men’s under-23 team claimed bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympics, while the under-20 side became world champions after defeating Argentina in October’s final. On the continental stage, Morocco have dominated the African Nations Championship for home-based players, winning the tournament in 2018, 2020 and 2024, and recently added the FIFA Arab Cup to their growing list of honours.

“Since 1976, we have not been able to win the Africa Cup of Nations, can you imagine?” Bounouar said. “That’s the only [senior] title in the history of Moroccan football, so it’s high time we went for it.”

Behind this resurgence lies years of heavy investment in football infrastructure, spearheaded by the Mohammed VI Football Academy and the Mohammed VI Training Complex.

These state-of-the-art facilities cater to youth and senior national teams for both men and women, combining elite coaching, education, accommodation and sports science.

“This evolution of Moroccan football is not a random achievement,” Bounouar explained.

“It came through years of strategic planning and a long-term national project supported by the highest levels of Moroccan authorities.”

He traced the vision back to 2008, when King Mohammed first outlined plans to use football as a tool for social and economic development, before the academy opened in 2009 and the $65m training complex followed in 2019.

“The idea was to give young talents modern facilities, good coaches, good education and a healthy environment,” he added.

The results of that approach are evident not only in elite performance but also at grassroots level. Nigerian photojournalist Sulaiman Adebayo, a frequent visitor to Morocco, believes the country’s rise has been deliberate. “Everything they’ve done for the past four to five years has been deliberate in terms of building facilities and improving their football,” he said. “They are strategic and intentional – and it shows.”

However, the scale of investment has sparked debate at home. Recent Gen Z-led protests have questioned the prioritisation of stadiums over social services, with chants of “hospitals not stadiums” reflecting broader concerns ahead of Morocco’s role as co-host of the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.

“There are differing opinions,” Bounouar acknowledged. “The majority of Moroccans view football as an essential national project that provides benefits beyond the field.”

He added that many believe football success helps unite a diverse population and raises Morocco’s global profile, particularly through tourism.

Statistics from FIFA and the Moroccan FA suggest increased grassroots participation, with football becoming “even more embedded in daily life,” according to Bounouar. He also noted growing acceptance of girls playing the sport, a trend reinforced by the Atlas Lionesses reaching consecutive Women’s Africa Cup of Nations finals on home soil and captain Ghizlane Chebbak being named African Player of the Year.

Morocco enter AFCON 2025 as clear favourites, buoyed by a remarkable run of 18 consecutive victories stretching back to March 2024. During that period, they have scored 50 goals and conceded just four, although the level of opposition has been questioned.

Amrabat believes home advantage could prove decisive. “We have amazing stadiums with very good pitches. The weather will be good, it’s not very hot at the moment in Morocco,” he said. “With the fans behind us, they can push us a lot. We need this energy to go and to press and to show this intensity.”

The squad is packed with elite talent, including goalkeeper Yassine Bounou, Real Madrid playmaker Brahim Diaz and Paris St-Germain full-back Achraf Hakimi, who was recently named African Player of the Year. Hakimi, the team’s captain and most recognisable star, remains a doubt after sustaining an ankle injury in a Champions League match against Bayern Munich.

“We will do everything for him to be 100%,” manager Walid Regragui said recently. “But if he isn’t, he will be with us no matter what. He’s the most important player for us, whether on the pitch or in the locker room.”

Morocco open their AFCON campaign against Comoros on Sunday evening, but for many, this moment has been years in the making.

“Now is our moment,” Amrabat declared. “I believe we have to do it now, especially at home. I dream about this moment. We want to give this [to] the people and make everybody happy.”

For the dream to become a reality, Morocco must start AFCON 2025 very well. The Atlas Lions take on Comoros on Sunday and need a statement victory to send a clear signal to other contenders.