This year’s CAF Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025 kicks off on Sunday night as hosts Morocco face Comoros in the tournament’s opening match at the Complexe Moulay Abdellah, in Rabat.
Backed by a partisan crowd and months of preparation, the Atlas Lions are intent on setting a marker early in a tournament they hope to win.
After spending weeks fine-tuning his squad, balancing tactical detail with physical conditioning, head coach Walid Regragui insists his team’s focus remains steady. This is despite fitness concerns around key players such as Achraf Hakimi, Hamza Igamane and Sofyan Amrabat.
“We have been working for two years. It will be a big day, at home,” Regragui said. “Our objective has always been to win the AFCON and to give everything. Our supporters are with us.”
On Hakimi’s availability, the coach said, “He may start, or he may not. Every match is important. We will have to manage emotions and play with confidence and humility.”
Comoros arrive in Rabat with far less pressure but no shortage of belief. Under head coach Stefano Cusin, the Coelacanths have used limited collective preparation time to prioritise cohesion and discipline. Considered outsiders on paper, they are determined to show that their recent rise is no accident.
“It is an exceptional opportunity to showcase our country and our team,” Cusin said. “Morocco are extremely competitive, with or without Hakimi. We are looking for the right balance between defence and attack.”
Midfielder Youssouf M’Changama echoed that sense of occasion, stressing what the opener represents beyond the result.
“Playing in the opening match is a great source of pride,” he said. “We want to continue raising the level of Comorian football.”
The two sides have met just once in competitive action, during the AFCON 2023 qualifiers, when Morocco secured a 2–0 home victory. While circumstances have evolved since then, the hosts remain firm favourites, particularly in familiar surroundings.
For Morocco, a strong start would validate their ambition and calm early nerves. For Comoros, the opening whistle offers a chance to test themselves against elite opposition and announce their intentions to the continent.
