Morocco has made the perfect start to its journey at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations 2026. Playing in front of their home supporters, the Atlas Lionesses delivered a convincing performance on Sunday, July 26, defeating Kenya 4-0 in their opening Group A match at the Prince Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat.
From the first whistle, Jorge Vilda’s side showed their ambitions in a tournament they hope to win on home soil. Morocco quickly took control of the game and found the breakthrough in the 19th minute through Sanae Ouzraoui, giving the hosts the ideal start.
The Atlas Lionesses continued to dominate and doubled their advantage in the 28th minute when Mariam Atiq found the back of the net. Just three minutes later, Ibtissam Jraidi added a third goal to put Morocco in a commanding position before the break. The Moroccan striker completed her brace shortly after the restart, scoring the team’s fourth goal in the 47th minute and sealing a memorable opening victory for the hosts.
A strong statement from the tournament hosts
With this impressive success, Morocco joins Algeria at the top of Group A. The North African rivals both collected three points after winning their opening matches, setting up a highly anticipated derby clash on July 30 in Rabat.
For the Atlas Lionesses, this victory represents an important first step in their quest for a historic continental title. After finishing runners-up in the last two editions of the Women’s AFCON, Morocco is determined to go all the way this time and lift the trophy in front of its home fans.
The 2026 tournament, hosted across Morocco from July 26 to August 16, is expected to be a major celebration of African women’s football, with the Atlas Lionesses aiming to write a new chapter in the country’s sporting history.
