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Rabat – Morocco’s tourism appeal is certainly doing its magic as the country continues to attract not only many tourists but also media attention.
Football is one of the draws that continues to make international headlines, with one most recent instance being Le Monde’s feature on how the North African country is making the sport a diplomatic tool to gain further momentum.
The news outlet recalled the five-star hotels that Morocco is deploying to host the AFCON 2025, including the Four Seasons, Hilton, Hyatt Regency, Ritz-Carlton, Sofitel, and the Fairmont, which will be also in charge of hosting players from 24 teams from the continent.
The news outlet went further to quote one of Morocco’s sports policy researchers, Moncef Kyazghi, who said that Morocco is “setting the bar very high,” noting that the country’s preparation campaign is part of its football policy.
Le Monde continued to say that Morocco is using football diplomatically as a means to establish or strengthen ties, recalling the country’s momentum during the 2022 World Cup.
During the prestigious tournament in 2022, Morocco reached the semifinals – becoming the first Arab and African country to reach this advanced tournament stage.
Beyond football, Le Monde also talked about Morocco’s emergence as a globally renowned destination.
“Regarded as one of the best-equipped countries in terms of infrastructure on the continent, Morocco became in 2024 Africa’s top tourist destination, surpassing Egypt for the first time,” Le Monde wrote.
The tournament will run until January 18, 2026, featuring 52 matches across six cities and nine stadiums throughout Morocco.
Rabat will serve as the primary host city with four venues, while Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Fez, and Tangier will each host matches in one stadium.
The quarter-finals will be distributed across four cities: Rabat, Tangier, Marrakech, and Agadir.
The semi-finals will take place in Rabat and Tangier, with Casablanca’s Stade Mohammed V hosting the third-place playoff.
The tournament will conclude with the final at Rabat’s 69,500-capacity Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah.
Looking continental, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) frequently talks highly of Morocco’s football development.
In 2023, President of CAF, Patrice Motsepe commended Morocco’s impressive football infrastructure, particularly commending the Royal Moroccan Football Federation for its newly established headquarters in Rabat.
Motsepe also lauded the support and substantial investment in football Morocco has made over the past few years under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, saying that the country has positioned itself as a premier destination for hosting major international sports events.
