Morocco is the main beneficiary of qualification for the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), which it will host from December 25, 2025, to January 18, 2026. The draw, held last Thursday in Johannesburg, South Africa, placed Morocco in Group B alongside Gabon, the Central African Republic, and Lesotho.
Under the guidance of their 48-year-old coach Walid Regragui, the Atlas Lions could play all their matches at home, except for one against Gabon, which will take place in Libreville. Morocco will host the Central African Republic and Lesotho at home and away, as these two countries do not have stadiums that meet the standards set by international and African football federations. For Morocco, these qualifications are a formality as they are already qualified as hosts for the 35th edition of the CAN.
A member of Morocco’s coaching staff, who wished to remain anonymous, told Al-Araby Al-Jadeed last night that the upcoming African qualifications are an ideal opportunity for coach Walid Regragui and his team to prepare for the Africa Cup to be held in Morocco in 2025. These matches will assess the players’ preparation and their ability to deliver better performances during the African competition. Meanwhile, the other three teams in the group will vie for the second qualifying spot.
The African qualifications for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations consist of 12 groups of four teams each, with each team playing six home-and-away matches. The group leader and runner-up will directly qualify for the final tournament. It should be noted that Morocco exited the Africa Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast earlier this year in the quarter-finals, losing 2-0 to South Africa.
Playing most of their matches at home gives the Atlas Lions a significant strategic advantage. Players can adapt to local conditions and benefit from the support of their fans. This situation should also allow Coach Regragui to test different strategies and team compositions in preparation for the final tournament.
The absence of standard stadiums in some opponent countries forces Gabon, the Central African Republic, and Lesotho to travel to Morocco for the majority of their matches. This could influence the course of the qualifications and provide an additional advantage to the Moroccans, who will have the opportunity to intensively prepare for their own tournament.
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