Morocco women’s national team is stepping up preparations for this summer’s Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), with two friendly matches lined up in Rabat.
The Atlas Lionesses will face Tanzania next Monday, before taking on Ghana on Friday, April 17, with both matches starting at 6:30 p.m. at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium.
For head coach Jorge Vilda, these games offer an important chance to regulate and adjust the team’s tactics, build chemistry within the squad, and give players valuable minutes ahead of the competition at home.
A Big summer ahead for the Atlas Lionesses
Morocco will host the 2026 WAFCON from July 25 to August 16, and expectations are naturally high.
Drawn in Group A alongside Algeria, Senegal, and Kenya, the Atlas Lionesses know they will need to hit the ground running when the tournament begins.
The upcoming friendlies against Tanzania and Ghana should give Vilda a clearer picture of where his team stands, especially in terms of defensive shape, midfield balance, and attacking rhythm.
There is also extra motivation this year, with the tournament expanding from 12 to 16 teams. More importantly, the four semi-finalists will qualify directly for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil, raising the stakes even higher.
Morocco heads into the tournament with growing confidence after reaching the final in the last two editions, in 2022 and 2024. Those back-to-back runner-up finishes have transformed the team into one of the continent’s leading forces.
Captain Ghizlane Chebbak remains one of the squad’s most valuable players. A proven leader and one of Africa’s most dangerous attackers, she won the Golden Boot in both 2022 and 2024 and the CAF Women Player of the Year in 2025.
This summer, with home fans behind them once again, the Atlas Lionesses will be hoping to take that final step and lift their first WAFCON trophy.
The friendlies in Rabat could offer the first real signs of whether Morocco is ready to go for the title.
