Rabat – Morocco face Algeria tonight at Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat in their second Group A match at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations.
The Atlas Lionesses started their campaign with a dominant 4-0 win over Kenya, while Algeria also made a strong start by beating Senegal 2-0.
Both teams have three points after one match. A win tonight would place either Morocco or Algeria in a strong position to qualify for the quarter-finals and finish top of the group.
Match details:
- Fixture: Morocco vs Algeria
- Competition: Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026, Group A, Matchday 2
- Venue: Moulay El Hassan Stadium, Rabat
- Date: Thursday, July 30
- Kick-off: 9 p.m. Morocco time
- How to watch: beIN Sports and beIN Sports Connect; CAF TV in selected markets
Morocco Team News
Injuries/Suspensions: Morocco have no major injury or suspension concerns reported after their opening win against Kenya.
Returns/Doubts: Head coach Jorge Vilda could keep most of the same team after a convincing performance. Captain Ghizlane Chebbak, who did not start the opener, remains an important option if Morocco need more control and creativity.
Recent Form: Morocco made an excellent start to the tournament by beating Kenya 4-0 in Rabat.
Sakina Ouzraoui opened the scoring, Maryame Atiq added the second, and Ibtissam Jraidi scored twice to complete a strong attacking performance.
The Atlas Lionesses are playing at home and are looking to go one step further after finishing as runners-up in recent WAFCON editions.
Key Players: Jraidi is Morocco’s main attacking threat after scoring twice in the opener. Ouzraoui gives the team speed and movement, while Sanaa Mssoudy and Yasmin-Katie M’Rabet bring balance in midfield.
Chebbak remains Morocco’s leader and can change the rhythm of the game with her passing, set pieces and experience.
Likely XI: Er-Rmichi; Ait El Haj, Atiq, Benzina, Redouani; M’Rabet, Azraf, Nakkach; Ouzraoui, Jraidi, Mssoudy.
Algeria team news
Injuries/Suspensions: Algeria have no major suspension concerns reported after their win over Senegal.
Returns/Doubts: Head Coach Farid Benstiti is expected to maintain a compact, disciplined setup following Algeria’s strong defensive performance in the first match.
Recent Form: Algeria began their WAFCON campaign with a 2-0 win over Senegal.
Marine Dafeur scored before halftime, and Melissa Bethi added the second goal late in the match.
The result gave Algeria confidence and showed that they can compete strongly in one of the tournament’s toughest groups.
Algeria reached the quarter-finals in the previous edition and arrived in Morocco with clear ambition to prove that progress was not a one-off.
Key Players: Bethi is one of Algeria’s most important midfielders and will be central to their transitions. Dafeur also enters the match with confidence after scoring against Senegal.
Chloe N’Gazi gives Algeria experience in goal, while Inès Belloumou and Sofia Guellati will be important against Morocco’s wide attackers.
Likely XI: N’Gazi; Belkhiter, D’Oria, Guellati, Belloumou; Bethi, Dafeur, Bouzid; Boussaha, Ikene, Boutaleb.
What to expect
Morocco are favorites to win the game because of their home advantage, attacking quality, and strong start against Kenya. Vilda’s team will likely control possession and try to attack early through Jraidi, Ouzraoui, and Mssoudy.
Algeria will look to stay compact, frustrate Morocco, and attack quickly after winning the ball. Benstiti’s team showed against Senegal that they can defend well and punish mistakes.
The match should be intense because of the derby context and the importance of Group A. Morocco will want to confirm their status as one of the title contenders, while Algeria will try to prove they can challenge the hosts directly.
