Pressure Mounts On Hosts Morocco To Deliver As 2025 AFCON Kicks Off

Morocco carry a huge weight of expectation into their opening game at the Total Energies-Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) on Sunday evening as the hosts, with star man Achraf Hakimi returning from injury, aim to see off stiff competition to claim continental glory.

Senegal, reigning champions Ivory Coast, Mohamed Salah’s Egypt and a Nigeria side led by Victor Osimhen are among the biggest rivals for Morocco at the 2025 AFCON tournament, which runs into the New Year with the final on January 18.

Morocco, Africa’s best team at 11th place in the FIFA rankings, will kick off the tournament on Sunday at 1900 GMT against minnows Comoros at the new 69,000-seat Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

There is huge pressure on the Atlas Lions, semifinalists at the 2022 World Cup who come into the Cup of Nations on a world-record run of 18 consecutive victories.

“I have always said the objective is to win this AFCON at home in front of our fans,” Coach Walid Regragui insisted on Saturday.

“The country that will have the most difficulty winning the AFCON is Morocco, because of the expectation on us,” he nevertheless warned as they looked to claim the title for the first time since 1976.

“The pressure on us is positive, but anything other than victory will be a failure.”

Paris Saint-Germain right-back Hakimi, the African player of the year, said he was ready to take part despite not having played since suffering an ankle injury in early November.

“I feel good,” said Hakimi, although Regragui admitted that the former Real Madrid man may not play against Comoros with further Group A matches to come against Mali and Zambia.