Excitement surged across Rabat as red-and-green clad fans streamed toward the stadium for Morocco’s Africa Cup of Nations opener. Celebrations began the night before, with chanting supporters parading through the capital, turning streets into rivers of colour and anticipation.
Morocco hosts the 35th Africa Cup of Nations, opening the tournament on Sunday against Comoros amid soaring expectations. Known as the Atlas Lions, Morocco are among the favourites to lift the trophy for only the second time.
Their lone continental triumph came in 1976, nearly half a century before this long-awaited home challenge. Morocco start against Comoros, ranked 108th globally and appearing at the tournament for just the second time.
History favours the hosts, with no home nation losing an opening Africa Cup match since Burkina Faso in 1998. Ranked 11th worldwide, Morocco lead Africa’s football hierarchy after reaching the World Cup semifinals in 2022.
That success fuelled sweeping stadium projects as the kingdom positions itself as a rising global football power. Morocco will also co-host the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal, cementing its long-term ambitions.
Sunday’s match takes place at Rabat’s renovated Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, holding nearly 70,000 spectators. The tournament spans nine venues across five cities, built or upgraded specifically for this continental showcase.
Its mascot, Assad the lion, recalls the vanished Barbary lions once roaming North Africa’s rugged mountains. Elsewhere, Egypt, Ivory Coast, Senegal and Cameroon launch their campaigns as the tournament shifts to a four-year cycle.