PALERMO (ITALPRESS) – A golden generation aiming to break a long-standing curse, backed by a nation ready to push its heroes toward glory. But there is more: revamped stadiums, increasingly modern infrastructure and a tournament that represents more than just a test run ahead of the historic 2030 milestone. In Morocco, the countdown is in its final days for the 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled from December 21 to January 18. Six host cities—Agadir, Casablanca, Fez, Marrakech, Rabat and Tangier—and nine venues (three of them in the capital) are set to welcome a sea of fans.
“To date, we have sold more than one million tickets,” Omar Khyari, adviser to Moroccan FA president Fouzi Lekjaa, told Italpress. “Thirty percent of those sales come from abroad. Based on these figures, we can expect more than 400,000 attendees. Current projections, which also include those traveling for the year-end holidays, indicate that one million tourists will visit our country. How are we preparing? With the legendary hospitality Moroccans are known for. Our nine stadiums offer all the necessary comfort, as do the eight official fan zones.”
The government has opted for a big-ticket approach, upgrading stadiums—Tangier’s venue had already undergone a first revamp in 2020, with a further renovation completed in September—and investing in transport links, from the expansion of Tanger Med to the high-speed rail line that is expected to extend to Marrakech by 2030. In five years’ time, another major date looms: the World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal, alongside a number of matches in South America. “The Africa Cup of Nations will be a celebration for the whole of Africa, but it will also serve as a crucial dress rehearsal for the 2030 World Cup,” Khyari confirmed. “We will continue to refine our infrastructure.”
The tournament is also expected to act as a powerful economic driver. “It is forecast to generate an immediate financial boost, thanks to the massive influx of fans. Experts estimate additional revenues of between 5 and 12 billion dirhams (roughly €460 million to more than €1 billion).” On the pitch, the host nation are the clear favorites, although there remains a question mark over Achraf Hakimi, who is racing against time to recover from an ankle injury.
The Atlas Lions are enjoying the best period in their history, not only because of their remarkable run to the semifinals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Walid Regragui’s side—the first African national team to qualify for next year’s World Cup—boasts quality and talent and has long set its sights on a trophy won only once, in 1976, and narrowly missed in 2004, when Morocco lost the final to Tunisia. Lifting the cup in front of home fans would be the icing on the cake for a movement growing on all fronts, as shown by the Olympic bronze medal in Paris with the Under-23s and recent successes at the Under-17 World Cup and the Arab Cup.
Competition, however, will be fierce: from defending champions Ivory Coast to Mohamed Salah’s Egypt, eager for redemption after his break with Liverpool; from teams set to feature in the United States next summer—Algeria, Senegal, South Africa and Tunisia (with Ghana and Cape Verde failing to qualify)—to those still harbouring hopes, such as Congo, and others seeking consolation after missing out on the 2026 World Cup, like Nigeria with Victor Osimhen and Ademola Lookman, or Cameroon led by Bryan Mbeumo.
“Morocco has now consolidated its place among the world’s top national teams in the FIFA rankings,” Khyari concluded. “The results we have achieved push us to maintain the highest standards of excellence. But while our national team may be the favorite on paper, it will strive to confirm that status with ambition and humility. There are other nations with the talent to succeed, including reigning champions Ivory Coast, as well as Egypt, Nigeria, Senegal and our neighbours Algeria and Tunisia. And then there are formidable sides such as Cameroon, the Democratic Republic of Congo and Burkina Faso.” The time for predictions, however, is over: from tomorrow, the pitch will have its say.
– photo glb/Italpress –
