With the 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations drawing near, Morocco’s national women’s football team will face Cape Verde in a high-stakes friendly match on Sunday as preparations continue for the tournament on home soil.
Kick-off is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time in Morocco (8 p.m. in France), and the game will be broadcast live on Arryadia. Fans will also be able to follow real-time updates and coverage through the Royal Moroccan Football Federation’s (FRMF) official social media channels.
This encounter serves as an important test for the Atlas Lionesses as they enter the final stages of preparation for the tournament, which will be held from 5 to 26 July. It is also the first major test during the current training camp led by Spanish head coach Jorge Vilda, who took charge of the squad following their appearance at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
The ongoing camp, held at the state-of-the-art Mohammed VI Complex in Maâmora, began on 11 June and will run through 19 June. Vilda is using the period to sharpen tactical cohesion, evaluate individual and collective fitness, and finalise his selection for the highly anticipated continental tournament.
The friendly against Cape Verde is expected to help identify the final tactical shape and assess fringe players hoping to break into the final squad.
Morocco come into this match with growing expectations, having reached the final of the 2022 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations—a historic achievement that has since raised the bar for women’s football in the country.
With the added motivation of playing at home this year, the pressure to go one step further and lift the title has intensified.
Cape Verde, by contrast, will arrive in Morocco without the same pedigree but with increasing credibility. The island nation has never reached the final phase of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, but they showcased remarkable determination in the qualifiers.
Most notably, they stunned Nigeria 2–1 in the second leg of the second-round qualifiers, despite having lost the first leg 5–0. Currently ranked 125th in the FIFA Women’s Rankings, the team has demonstrated the capacity to upset more established opponents.
This friendly, therefore, offers more than just match fitness. For Morocco, it will be a chance to simulate the kind of tactical discipline and focus required to beat unpredictable, fast-transitioning sides. Cape Verde’s improving form ensures the Atlas Lionesses will not be able to take anything for granted.
Morocco’s ambition to win the continental title at home is underscored by the scale of the tournament. The 2025 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations will be staged in six premier venues across the country, including Rabat’s Olympic Stadium and the Larbi Zaouli Stadium in Casablanca. These facilities are expected to host thousands of fans in what promises to be a landmark edition of the competition.
Sunday’s fixture will therefore serve not only as a warm-up match but also as a measure of how prepared the Moroccan team truly is for the challenges ahead. With home support, rising expectations, and a coach determined to imprint his style, Morocco’s journey toward AFCON glory continues with every match—and this one could be crucial.
لائحة المنتخب الوطني النسوي المستدعاة للتجمع الإعدادي بمركب محمد السادس لكرة القدم
Our Women’s National Team squad list called up for the training camp in Mohammed VI Football Complex #DimaMaghrib 🇲🇦 pic.twitter.com/2wwVXjBlo0
— Équipe du Maroc (@EnMaroc) June 11, 2025
