AFCON 2025: Morocco one win away from continental glory at home
Morocco are just one match away from lifting the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 on home soil. The Atlas Lions have reached the final and will play for the title on January 18, 2026, in front of their own fans. Hosts of the tournament, Morocco are chasing a second AFCON title, their first since 1976. Despite reaching several finals over the years, continental glory has remained elusive. Now, with home advantage and strong momentum, the Atlas Lions have a historic opportunity to end decades of waiting and crown their AFCON campaign with ultimate success.
Destination Morocco 2025: After the Cotonou–Rabat Road Trip, the Project Enters Phase 2 with the Launch of La Casa del CAN
Following the resounding success of the first phase, marked by the Cotonou–Rabat Road Trip, the pan-African initiative “Destination Morocco 2025: Land of Football” opens a new chapter with the launch of its Phase 2: La Casa del CAN. Conceived and driven by Zelkifli Ngoufonja, CEO of Quick-Witted Management, this bold concept transforms a villa into a true space of living, creation, and human experimentation, where the Africa Cup of Nations is experienced from the inside, at the heart of Africa and its youth.
From the Round of 8 onward, influencers, content creators, and key project stakeholders will gather under one roof in Morocco. For the remainder of the competition, they will live together in this residence designed as a creative ecosystem, a place of production, exchange, and reflection, where collaboration, organization, and collective dynamics will shape daily life.
Under the strategic vision of Zelkifli Ngoufonja, La Casa del CAN is built on a clear objective: to create value, generate impact, and maximize return on investment for all partners and stakeholders. Every piece of content produced, every interaction, and every shared life moment is designed as a lever for visibility, engagement, and pan-African reach, serving brands, institutions, and platforms associated with the project.
This extended immersion will give rise to a unique experience, blending creativity, individual ambition, cultural challenges, adaptability, and cohabitation. After the intensity of the road trip, it is now the intensity of human relationships that takes center stage, offering an authentic, vibrant, and differentiated narrative of the AFCON.
La Casa del CAN positions itself as a true pan-African production hub. Daily vlogs, debates, challenges, immersive live sessions, short formats, premium content, and shared life moments will intersect, culminating in the production of an exclusive reality show. This editorial ecosystem is designed to capture attention, extend audience engagement time, and provide partners with continuous, high-quality, and measurable exposure throughout the competition.
This initiative fully aligns with the enlightened vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, who for years has worked to position Morocco as an African crossroads, a hub of South–South cooperation, and a land of welcome, dialogue, and opportunity for the continent’s youth. Through sport, culture, tourism, and innovation, the Kingdom of Morocco embodies an ambitious, connected, open, and forward-looking Africa. La Casa del CAN, through its pan-African, human, and creative dimension, naturally echoes this Royal Vision by making Morocco a convergence space for African talents, a laboratory of ideas, and a platform of expression for the continent’s youth.
Through this initiative, Quick-Witted Management, under the leadership of its CEO Zelkifli Ngoufonja reaffirms its ambition to tell the AFCON story differently beyond stadiums and results by highlighting human connection, African creativity, youth energy, and the power of collective experience. Here, the AFCON is not merely watched; it is lived, shared, and narrated from within, through powerful storytelling and high-performance media strategies.
With La Casa del CAN, a project designed by Quick-Witted Management (QWM) and supported by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Visit Morocco, and Royal Air Maroc, a new chapter opens at the crossroads of sport, digital innovation, content creation, and human experience. An initiative that strengthens the project’s pan-African identity and ambition to unite Africa around football, culture, and media innovation, while generating concrete, sustainable, and profitable impact for the entire ecosystem.
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AFCON 2025: Mohamed Salah Praises Morocco’s Organization and Hospitality
During a press conference at the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, Egypt captain Mohamed Salah expressed his admiration for Morocco, the host nation of the tournament.The Liverpool forward highlighted the quality of the training facilities, calling them his “favorite training center,” and praised the overall organization of the competition. Salah also commended the level of security and the warm hospitality shown to all delegations.He concluded by reaffirming Egypt’s ambition to fight together as a team in pursuit of the AFCON title.
Mohamed Salah’s words on Morocco’s organisation of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations: « I would like to thank Morocco 🇲🇦 for organising this event. The people here have a very high standard of order and security. I have never participated in a competition in Africa with such a high level of organisation. A big thank you to them, and I wish them continued success. «
AFCON 2025 : Morocco Reach Semi-Finals for the First Time Since 2004
Morocco secured their place in the semi-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations after a convincing 2-0 victory over Cameroon on Friday, January 9, 2026. Playing on home soil, the Atlas Lions controlled the match and delivered a solid performance to overcome a strong Cameroonian side. This qualification marks Morocco’s first appearance in the AFCON semi-finals since 2004. With this historic achievement, the host nation keeps its title hopes alive as the tournament reaches its decisive stage.
AFCON 2025: Samuel Eto’o Praises Morocco and Sends Fair-Play Message to Fouzi Lekjaa
Following Cameroon’s elimination in the quarter-finals of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, FECAFOOT president Samuel Eto’o sent an official message to Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.
In his letter, Eto’o congratulated Morocco on their victory in the match played on January 9, 2026, at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. He praised the spirit of fair play displayed during the encounter and highlighted the excellent organization of the tournament.
The former Cameroon captain also expressed his gratitude for the warm hospitality shown to the Cameroonian delegation and wished the Atlas Lions success for the remainder of the competition, reaffirming the strong ties between the two nations.
Full speech
« Mr President,
The Indomitable Lions of Cameroon’s participation in this Africa Cup of Nations came to an end after the quarter-final match played on Friday, 9 January 2026, at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. The match was won by the Moroccan team.On behalf of the Cameroonian delegation and Cameroonian supporters, I would like to extend our respectful greetings and sporting congratulations to you, in a spirit of fair play and mutual consideration.We would also like to express our deep gratitude for the exemplary organisation of this competition, as well as for the warm, friendly and welcoming reception given to our team, our delegation and our supporters by the Moroccan people. The hospitality shown in all the venues visited is a testament to the remarkable preparatory work carried out by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.We wish the Atlas Lions the best of luck for the rest of the competition.Thanking you once again for the strength of our fraternal ties, I remain, Mr President, yours sincerely, with the peaceful and respectful regards of the Cameroon Football Federation.
AFCON Morocco 2025: Sport and Football as Drivers of African Integration
As part of AFCON Morocco 2025, the Moroccan Agency for International Cooperation (AMCI) organized the second Inspire & Debate conference in Rabat under the theme “Sport, Football and African Integration.”Held at the International University City of Rabat, the event gathered over 250 participants, including African ambassadors, institutional leaders, sports experts, and international students.Speakers from CAF, FIFA, and the private sector highlighted football’s role as a powerful tool for unity, youth empowerment, and South-South cooperation across Africa.Through this initiative, Morocco reaffirms its commitment to African youth and to promoting sport as a catalyst for sustainable development and continental cohesion.
CAF Futsal AFCON 2026: Qualification Draw Held in Rabat
Rabat hosted, on Wednesday January 7, 2026, the official draw for the qualification rounds of the TotalEnergies CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2026. Eighteen national teams will compete for seven available spots in the final tournament.
Angola, Egypt, Libya and Côte d’Ivoire, the highest-ranked teams in the FIFA futsal rankings, are exempt from the first round. The opening fixtures will be played on January 23 and 28, while the decisive second round is scheduled between February 3 and 8.
Morocco, three-time defending champions and host nation, are already qualified and will welcome the seven successful teams for the final stage of the competition.
Destination Morocco 2025 : A Pan-african journey ahead of AFCON 2025
African entrepreneur Zelkifli Ngoufonja led the #DestinationMorocco2025 road trip ahead of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 (AFCON), traveling from Benin through several African countries to Morocco, arriving on December 22.
The initiative aimed to showcase African football beyond the stadiums, connecting local communities, youth, and journalists along the route. Ngoufonja highlighted Morocco’s role as a continental football hub, with modern stadiums and infrastructure ready to host major events.
He described the journey as a way to strengthen African unity and cultural exchange, stating: “Before connecting Africa to the world, we need to connect Africa to itself.”
Cotonou–Rabat Road Trip begins its Moroccan chapter through football and unity
After crossing the Moroccan border, the Cotonou–Rabat Road Trip, part of the pan-African initiative “Destination Morocco 2025: Kingdom of Football,” is currently experiencing its first four days on the promised land. A dynamic phase marked by discovery, connection, and the celebration of football.
The first day took place in Dakhla, where the group explored this emblematic city of the Moroccan Sahara through local immersion and warm encounters. The second day continued in Laâyoune, highlighted by a meaningful stop at the Fan Zone of our partner VisitMorocco. The moment was shaped by community interaction, a friendly football match, and content creation.
The third day allowed the caravan to move northward to Agadir. It was in the city’s grand stadium that the Road Trip experienced a major highlight with its first match on Moroccan soil: Cameroon 1–0 Gabon, an intense and emotional encounter.
The fourth day is underway, with the delegation continuing its journey toward Marrakech, the red city, under the leadership of Zul Zelkifli Rahman Ngoufonja, head of delegation and CEO of Quick-Witted MGT.
Through these opening days in Morocco, the Cotonou–Rabat Road Trip, embedded within the pan-African initiative “Destination Morocco 2025: Kingdom of Football,” resonates with the vision inspired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, where football serves as a powerful bridge uniting African peoples.
Cotonou–Rabat Road Trip: The Pan-African Journey Reaches Morocco
The Cotonou–Rabat Road Trip, part of the pan-African initiative “Destination Morocco 2025: Kingdom of Football,” reaches a major milestone with its entry into Moroccan territory. After weeks of steady progress across West Africa, the delegation arrived at the Moroccan border in a warm atmosphere filled with emotion and a strong sense of purpose.
Since departing from Cotonou, the convoy has passed through several countries, shaping an itinerary rich in experiences, encounters, and learning moments. Each stage has contributed to the human depth and continental dimension of this pan-African initiative.
Entering Morocco opens a new chapter. The delegation is discovering the Moroccan Sahara through the city of Dakhla, the first stop on this welcoming land, before continuing on to Laâyoune, where the group moves forward in a spirit of unity and fraternity.
This progression is guided on the ground by the leadership of Zul Zelkifli Rahman Ngoufonja, head of delegation and CEO of Quick-Witted MGT, ensuring coherence and continuity throughout the journey.
The Cotonou–Rabat Road Trip, embedded within the pan-African initiative “Destination Morocco 2025: Kingdom of Football,” aligns with the momentum inspired by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, who places football at the heart of uniting African peoples and strengthening bonds across the continent.
