Host nation Morocco enter the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations under intense pressure to deliver the title as the continent’s top ranked team and World Cup semi finalists. The Atlas Lions open the tournament on Sunday night against Comoros at the new 69,000 seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Morocco are ranked 11th in the world by FIFA and arrive at AFCON on the back of a record run of 18 consecutive victories in all competitions. Coach Walid Regragui has repeatedly stated that the clear objective is to win the trophy on home soil in front of their own fans.
Regragui admitted that his players will face extra pressure because of the expectations surrounding them but called it a positive motivation. He said anything short of lifting the title would be viewed as a failure for a team that has not won AFCON since 1976.
Star right back Achraf Hakimi, recently crowned African player of the year, is expected to feature despite only just returning from an ankle injury. The coaching staff have been managing fitness issues for Hakimi and other key players while trying to maintain tactical balance and intensity.
For Morocco, the tournament is also a showcase of modern stadiums and organisational capacity as they host AFCON for the first time since 1988. Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe said the event must also help align Africa’s football calendar more closely with the global schedule.
Morocco’s main challengers include defending champions Ivory Coast, Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, Sadio Mane’s Senegal and a Nigeria side desperate to bounce back after missing the last World Cup. Several of these teams arrive with strong squads and recent continental success, adding to the competitive pressure on the hosts.
North African nations have dominated recent editions staged in the region, with four of the last five tournaments there won by teams from the north. Morocco hope to follow the example of Ivory Coast, who lifted the 2024 title as hosts, and finally end their own near 50 year wait for a second AFCON crown.
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