Rabat – As Morocco’s national futsal team prepare to face Zambia today at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Hall in Rabat, both sides are looking to strengthen their chances of reaching the semifinals of this year’s Futsal Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
The defending champions enter the encounter at the top of Group A after defeating Algeria 4-0 on Monday, while Zambia sit second following a 3-1 victory over Libya.
Both teams have three points, although Morocco hold the advantage on goal difference. A victory on Wednesday would put Hicham Dguig’s side in a strong position ahead of their final group-stage match against Libya on Friday.
Match Details
- Fixture: Morocco vs Zambia
- Competition: CAF Futsal AFCON 2026, Group A, Matchday 2
- Date: Wednesday, October 14, 2026
- Venue: Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Hall, Rabat
- Kickoff: 8 p.m. Moroccan time
- Broadcast: Arryadia TNT and CAF TV on YouTube
Morocco Team News
Morocco began their pursuit of a fourth consecutive African title with a comfortable victory over Algeria, extending their strong record in a competition they have dominated since 2016.
Younes Mkasri opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Youssef Jouad doubled Morocco’s advantage just two minutes later. Jouad then completed his hat-trick with goals in the 26th and 32nd minutes and was named Man of the Match.
Despite the convincing result, Dguig acknowledged that his players had missed several scoring opportunities and identified finishing among the areas requiring improvement.
The Moroccan coach also explained that the opening encounter had allowed him to give his entire squad playing time, an important consideration at the beginning of a tournament with matches scheduled every two days.
Morocco’s preparations for the Zambia fixture continued on Tuesday with a light recovery session at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Hall, according to the FRMF.
The Atlas Lions are competing without Anas Dahani, who was withdrawn from the squad on medical grounds before the tournament. Soufiane Chaaraoui replaced him after CAF approved the substitution request on October 10.
Dguig can nevertheless count on several experienced players, including captain Soufiane El Mesrar, Bilal Bakkali, Anas El Ayyane and Idriss Raiss El Fenni, who were part of Morocco’s successful 2024 campaign.
Zambia Team News
Zambia will arrive with confidence after defeating Libya, the bronze medalists at the 2024 tournament, in their opening Group A encounter.
Italian coach Andrea Cristoforetti saw his side make an excellent start against the North Africans, with Royd Chishala scoring after just two minutes.
Patrick Mwila doubled Zambia’s advantage in the sixth minute before completing his brace shortly after halftime. Libya pulled a goal back in the closing moments, but the Zambians held on to secure all three points.
Mwila, a 22-year-old forward who plays for Paramilitary FC, was named Man of the Match following his two-goal performance.
Speaking to CAF after the victory, the Zambian credited his team’s preparation and commitment to their coach’s instructions.
“He told us that the first game of the tournament is effectively a final, and we had to win it to stay on course for the semi-finals,” Mwila said.
Cristoforetti is leading Zambia at a second consecutive Futsal AFCON, having also coached the team during the 2024 edition in Morocco.
What to Expect
Morocco enters this match with the stronger continental record and the advantage of playing in front of their home supporters, but Zambia’s opening victory suggests that today’s encounter could present a different challenge.
The two teams last met at the 2024 Futsal AFCON, when Morocco recorded a remarkable 13-0 victory in Rabat.
Dguig’s side scored eight goals in the first half of that encounter and eventually finished the group stage with nine points before going on to defeat Angola 5-1 in the final.
Zambia have since gained further experience under Cristoforetti, who acknowledged before the tournament that his players were better prepared than they had been two years earlier.
Their performance against Libya demonstrated their ability to punish defensive mistakes early in matches, particularly through Chishala and Mwila.
Meanwhile, Morocco will likely seek to control possession and maintain the high pressing and quick passing combinations that proved effective against Algeria.
