AFCON 2025: Morocco to get foretaste ahead of AFCON finals

Morocco will host four of the eight preliminary-round matches of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.

This follows the move by Djibouti, São Tomé, Príncipe, South Sudan, and Somalia to play their “home” matches in the North African country.

The move is part of the partnership between the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and partner African Federations and reflects the confidence placed in Moroccan sports infrastructure and its ability to organize major sporting events.

Considered one of the African countries with the best football infrastructure, Morocco hosted Kenya’s men’s national football team for friendly matches against the Central African Republic and Chad in 2018.

“We are pleased and privilege to welcome African countries to play on Morocco soil and also tour this beautiful country,” explained a source at the Morocco FA.

The matches will be played in home and away format from March 18 to 26, 2024, by the FIFA window.

Here is the schedule of the matches scheduled in Morocco:

March 20:

Djibouti vs. Liberia: Grand Stade de Marrakech
Somalia vs. Eswatini: Stade El Abdi d’El Jadida

March 22:

São Tomé and Príncipe vs. South Sudan: Stade Municipal de Berkane

March 26:

South Sudan vs. São Tomé and Príncipe: Stade Municipal de Berkane

The move also kickstarts Morocco’s preparation to host both the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 Fifa World Cup.

Still basking from the glory of making it to the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, Morocco, one of the most successful African football sides, has been handed the hosting rights for both tournaments and is set to co-host the World Cup alongside Portugal and Spain.

Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania are set to host the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations and Kenya’s President William Ruto recently oversaw a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of a State of the Art stadium in Nairobi.