Hosts Morocco will kick off their 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign with a Group A clash against Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat on Sunday, December 21.
The Atlas Lions, unbeaten in their last 17 competitive matches, enter the tournament as clear favourites. Coached by Walid Regragui, Morocco are ranked 11th in the world, the highest-ranked African nation, while Comoros sit 108th in the FIFA rankings.
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Morocco head coach Walid Regragui has made no secret of his ambition, stating clearly that his team’s objective is to win the AFCON. He stressed that his players fully understand the responsibility that comes with hosting the tournament.
“We know how big this responsibility is. Our goal is to win the trophy, and the players are ready to give a strong performance in this important African competition,” Regragui said.
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Comoros head coach Stefano Cusin, meanwhile, acknowledged the challenge of facing the host nation but insisted his side is prepared for the task ahead.
“We are very proud to play this match. It’s an exceptional opportunity to showcase our country and our team. It is a huge emotion and a great pride given our journey,” the Italian coach said.
Cusin also recognised the quality of the opposition but ruled out a purely defensive approach.
“Morocco is the best team in Africa, one of the best in the world, and they are playing at home. That is a reality. We will need to stay compact. But we cannot just defend and wait. We are looking for the right balance. It would be a shame to limit ourselves solely to the defensive aspect,” he added.
The two sides have met four times previously, with Morocco recording three wins and one draw. Their first encounters came during the 2019 AFCON qualifiers, where Morocco won 1–0 at home on October 13, 2018, before a 2–2 draw in Comoros three days later, progressing to Egypt 2019 as group winners.
They also clashed at the group stage of the 2021 AFCON, with Morocco securing a 2–0 victory in Yaoundé on January 14, 2022, thanks to goals from Selim Amallah and Zakaria Aboukhlal.
Sunday’s fixture marks Morocco’s 20th AFCON finals appearance and their fifth consecutive participation, a run that began in 2017. Comoros, by contrast, are featuring only for the second time, having made their tournament debut at the 2021 edition in Cameroon.
It will also be the second time Comoros face a tournament host and their second successive AFCON match against one.
Their previous such encounter ended in a 2–1 defeat to Cameroon in the Round of 16 at the 2021 finals.
