This is a breath of fresh air for the local economy as the Africa Cup of Nations approaches. The city of Rabat has just made an exceptional extension of opening hours for businesses official. Starting this Wednesday, the capital will live to the rhythm of the supporters until the end of the night to capture the financial benefits of the event.
The deadline is approaching and the tension is rising a notch. A few days before the kick-off of the Africa Cup of Nations (December 21 - January 18), Morocco finds itself facing an absolute obligation to deliver results. For the Atlas Lions , the stakes go beyond the simple sporting framework: it is a matter of validating an expensive national strategy and meeting the expectations of 37 million supporters.
This is a complete break from the usual habits of African football. For the competition that begins on December 21, Morocco has put an end to the cohabitation regime of the national teams. The 24 teams will each have an exclusive 5-star hotel and a dedicated training ground, aligning the standards of the tournament with those of Europe.
A week before the kick-off of the Africa Cup of Nations, the NGO Human Rights Watch is coming to play the party pooper. In an op-ed published in the newspaper Le Monde , it points the finger at the human cost of the event and the fierce repression that is falling on dissident voices, calling on the sports authorities to take their responsibilities.
The hunt for unscrupulous drivers is open in the six host cities of the Africa Cup. The authorities have deployed a radical control system: undercover agents now pose as ordinary customers to assess the quality of the service from the inside and immediately sanction any infractions.
Rabat is deploying its smart toilets starting Saturday in preparation for the 2025 CAN. This futuristic system guarantees total hygiene through self-cleaning, but imposes a strict rule on users: access costs one dirham and is limited to a maximum of ten minutes.
Walid Regragui has made a decisive cut by excluding Imran Louza and Othmane Maamma from the final list for the African Cup of Nations. This decision, cruel for the players, turns into a providential windfall for Watford, which retains its two major assets for a decisive winter marathon.
Morocco now knows its soldiers for the continental reconquest on its home soil. Walid Regragui has unveiled a final list marked by the resounding absence of Hakim Ziyech , the coach preferring to bet on the explosive dynamics of Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi to win the trophy.
Nicolas Pépé’s joke about the history of Moroccan football is not going over well. The Ivorian striker had to issue a public apology after dating the sole triumph of the Atlas Lions to "1818", a mockery that inflamed social media as the AFCON approaches.
Morocco has already welcomed 18 million tourists by the end of November, erasing the total for the year 2024. This unprecedented performance is nevertheless only a prelude: the exceptional convergence between the Africa Cup and the end-of-year celebrations promises to saturate the six host cities in December.
Rabat will host the final of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) and several decisive matches, making the capital a strategic hub for the tournament. Faced with this concentration of major deadlines, tourism professionals have launched an intensive program to ensure a welcome and services up to international standards .
Achraf Hakimi has removed his orthopedic boot and is accelerating his rehabilitation to play in the Africa Cup of Nations at home. While the Moroccan full-back says he is certain to be ready on December 21, Paris Saint-Germain is more cautious about his actual fitness level.