For the second time since it hosted the AFCON in 1988, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) is determined to deliver an unforgettable tournament this year.
FRMF Royal President Fouzi Lekjaa advisor Omar Khyari exclusively discussed the current state of preparations for co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup and this year’s AFCON with KBC Digital Sports.
Ahead of the biennial football extravaganza, FRMF has commenced a number of infrastructure improvements and developments in partnership with the AFCON local organising committee.
According to Omar Khyari, some of the infrastructure, notably the soccer stadiums, is being refurbished in readiness for AFCON finals.
“The idea is to bring them up to the highest international standards so as to offer the best possible experience to our players and supporters who will come to watch the competition. And as you know, Morocco has become the leading country in Africa in terms of tourism, with 17.4 million visitors last year. We have a long tradition of tourism, and all possible infrastructures (hotels, air transport, railways, hospitals, etc.) will be up to the task of hosting the event.” Omar revealed
At the same time, Omar stated that His Majesty King Mohammed VI directly oversees the tournament’s organisation, making it extremely special.
“This testifies to His Majesty’s great concern for sporting activities and shows the importance of the African dimension here in Morocco. We hope to rise to the challenge with great seriousness and commitment.” said Omar
Another distinctive feature of the Moroccan AFCON according to Omar is that matches will be played in nine stadiums located in six separate cities: Tangier, Casablanca, Rabat, Agadir, Marrakech, and Fez.
“As a result, no stadium will have to host two matches on the same day, as has been the custom in previous editions. Teams playing the second match of the day will no longer be disadvantaged by a worn-out pitch in poor condition. Each team will have its own base camp with a 5-star hotel and dedicated training ground for this 24-team AFCON. This is a possibility that we have been able to offer because we have not only the sporting infrastructure but also the road, rail, and air infrastructures that will enable everyone to move quickly between the 6 cities of this African Cup.” Omar expressed
The 35th AFCON finals, which are set for December 21 this year through January 18 of next year, are an opportunity for FRMF and the Royal Kingdom of Morocco to establish excellent organisational standards and make a lasting impression.
Omar continued, “We hope that this will be one of the legacies of this AFCON so that it can be organised in the same way in the future. At the end of 2023, ONCF (the Moroccan train institution) launched a $1.6 billion tender for the acquisition of new trains that will meet international standards. Morocco is the only African country to have had a high-speed train since 2018.”
Morocco is also banking on a popular and accessible AFCON by capitalising on the Royal Air Maroc, which could offer low, accessible fares to enable as many fans as possible to make the trip.
“In fact, RAM has always offered fans packages at attractive prices for previous competitions (World Cup 2018/2022, for example). Morocco’s geographical position will make it much easier for fans of the African diaspora to travel to Europe (1h30 flight from Madrid/Barcelona, 3h flight from Paris/Brussels.) or to Africa, where RAM has a strong presence.” Omar stated
“In fact, RAM has always offered fans packages at attractive prices for previous competitions (World Cup 2018/2022, for example). Morocco’s geographical position will make it much easier for fans of the African diaspora to travel to Europe (1h30 flight from Madrid/Barcelona, 3h flight from Paris/Brussels.) or to Africa, where RAM has a strong presence.” Omar stated
Following five unsuccessful World Cup bids to host the FIFA World Cup in 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, and 2026, Morocco was finally granted the privilege of staging it jointly in 2030 alongside its Mediterranean neighbours Spain and Portugal.
But how will the hosting of the 2025 AFCON correlate with the 2030 FIFA World Cup co-hosting?
“This has prompted the Kingdom to bring itself up to standard in order to reach the Grail in 2030 alongside its neighbours Spain and Portugal.
For us, the AFCON 2025 is not a test; it’s above all a great celebration of soccer. We’ve always been candidates to host the World Cup, so we’ve always worked on our infrastructures. We hope that the success of the AFCON 2025 will be a positive prelude to the organisation of the 2030 World Cup,” concluded Omar.
The host who won the trophy in 1976 will get the the 35th AFCON underway against the Comoros Islands on December 21st at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Rabat, in a group A fixture before facing Mali at the same venue on Boxing Day and concluding the group’s fixtures against the Chipolopolo of Zambia three days later.
