As hosts of the 2026 Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco kicked off the tournament in Rabat in front of an enthusiastic crowd with a convincing victory. The Atlas Lions, three-time African champions, face Zambia this Wednesday as they look to consolidate their top spot.
The 8th Futsal Africa Cup of Nations kicked off on Monday 12 October in Rabat. With packed stands, an electric atmosphere and modern facilities, Morocco has pulled off a flawless launch of the tournament, which it is hosting until 21 October.
On the pitch, the host nation also rose to the occasion. Hicham Dguig’s men made a strong start, securing a convincing 4–0 victory in their opening match and immediately asserting their status as favourites.
Rabat, the capital of African futsal
Building on the success of recent tournaments hosted on home soil, Morocco has once again demonstrated its expertise in organising major events. The eight best African teams in the competition are sharing two modern venues in the capital: the Moulay Abdellah Sports Hall and the Yassine Hall. To ensure maximum visibility, all matches are being broadcast live on CAF TV.
From the very first evening, the supporters turned out in force, filling the stands at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium to capacity. In an electric atmosphere and in the presence of the FRMF president, Fouzi Lekjaa, the spectators gave a triumphant welcome to the Fennecs and the defending champions. Earlier in the day, in the opening match, Zambia had kicked things off with a 3–1 victory over Libya.
A convincing win led by Youssef Jaouad
Buoyed by this popular enthusiasm, Hicham Dguig’s players were in complete control from start to finish. The deadlock was broken as early as the 10th minute thanks to Younes Mkasri’s opening goal. In fine form, Youssef Jaouad then lit up the match by scoring a magnificent hat-trick (12th, 26th and 32nd minutes) to seal a clear-cut and flawless victory.
Thanks to this 4-0 win, Morocco have taken top spot in Group A, level on points with Zambia but with a better goal difference.
A decisive clash against Zambia this Wednesday
The action is already heating up in this group stage. This Wednesday, 14 October at 8.00 pm (GMT), the Atlas Lions will face off against Zambia in a top-of-the-table clash in Rabat, immediately following the match between Libya and their opponents of the day.
Crowned champions in 2016, 2020 and 2024, the African champions are aiming for a second consecutive victory. Another win would see Morocco take a decisive step towards the semi-finals, which are reserved for the top two teams in each group.
