After Guinea was stripped of its rights to host the AFCON in 2025, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) had to restart procedures to select a host. Many countries declared official interest in hosting the event, amongst them Morocco.
Land of football, Morocco has the ambition to host one of the best African Cup of Nations, in order to celebrate the best of African football, its values of tolerance, unity and respect, to serve the development and the influence of African football as a whole, and finally, to share an authentic and human experience.
Morocco’s candidacy is legitimate, firstly, because the national team has offered unparalleled influence to African football by having reached the semi-finals of the World Cup.
Secondly, because the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (RMFF) is very committed to the development of African football and to the cooperation with more than 45 African partner federations, and this, within the framework of the Enlightened Vision of His Majesty the King, which promotes greater involvement in South-South and win-win development, particularly in Africa.
Finally, Morocco is the only African country to have successfully passed the prerequisite required by FIFA concerning all the criteria established in its specifications, namely, sports infrastructures, hotels, hospitals, …etc
Indeed, when Morocco’s bid for the 2026 World Cup was presented, a task force composed of dozens of experts had crossed the country for several months before awarding it a mark above the average which made its bid eligible for the World Cup under the new format of 48 teams. The AFCON 2025 will be a 24-team event, which means that Morocco is de facto well beyond the requirements of the AFCON 24-teams.
In organising the AFCON 2025, Morocco guaranteed accessibility for football fans from their countries of residence, richness and diversity of the tourist experience, and safety within the Kingdom. And for the players and their staff, the comfort and quality of the hotel facilities, the modernity of the sports infrastructures, and an ideal and temperate climate.
Six iconic host cities were selected to celebrate the best of African football, namely, Rabat, Marrakech, Casablanca, Agadir, Tangier and Fez. The choice was based on operational and logistical excellence, notably in terms of sports, residential and transport infrastructures meeting the requirements of CAF. The 6 cities have the following capacities: Tangier (60,000 seats), Fez (35,000 seats), Rabat (65,000 seats), Casablanca (65,000 seats), Marrakech (45,000 seats) and Agadir (45,000).
Thus, all the host cities, located within a radius of 465 km around Casablanca, are connected through optimal transport networks, including the air network which covers the six host cities of the competition with an average of one-hour flight.
These cities are characterized by strong and unique identities, reflecting Morocco’s diversity and passion for football, each with its own historical, geographical and social identity. Among these cities, some of them are on the coast, or historical and mountainous destinations, this diversity will not fail to offer the African Cup of Nations a magical setting for the show.
Having a strong experience in the field of tourism (more than 12 million tourists in 2019), the Kingdom is endowed with a high-quality hotel infrastructure and in sufficient quantity (90,000 rooms distributed among the host cities) to welcome national teams, official delegations and supporters in favourable conditions. Morocco’s accommodation offer will make it possible to accommodate all the players in the competition by offering rates adapted to all budgets.
The Kingdom of Morocco has the ideal conditions for the organization of one of the best African Cup of Nations, due to its diversity, its geographical position, its legendary hospitality, its political stability and its security.
At the same time, Morocco benefits from one of the best football infrastructures in Africa. All the selected stadiums have been approved by FIFA (as part of the bidding process for the 2026 World Cup), as well as by CAF, as part of the World Cup and African Cup of Nations qualification.
Finally, Morocco is committed to the development of African football and continues its activities in continuity with the bid to organise the 2025 African Cup of Nations, in order to show its capacity to organize a safe African Cup, in the best conditions and to the standards of the most prestigious international competitions. The 2025 AFCON guarantee a magical and unforgettable experience for players, supporters, guests and viewers around the world.
Morocco aim to share its expertise in the organization of major sporting events, to inspire the younger generation for a world of solidarity, justice, tolerance and care for the planet, and to celebrate the universal values of football through a multicultural and unifying continental event.
Source: Morocco World News
