Morocco and Senegal will clash in a blockbuster Africa Cup of Nations final on Sunday, with the host nation hoping home support can inspire them to a first continental title in almost 50 years.
Playing in front of a partisan crowd at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Walid Regragui’s Morocco are aiming to crown an impressive rise in recent years with AFCON glory. The Atlas Lions entered the tournament as favourites after becoming the first African country to reach the semi-finals of the FIFA World Cup in 2022 and climbing to the top of the continent’s FIFA rankings.
Morocco are unbeaten in two years, having last tasted defeat at AFCON when they were eliminated by South Africa in the round of 16 in Ivory Coast. Led by African Footballer of the Year Achraf Hakimi, the Paris Saint-Germain full-back who captains the side, expectations have been immense throughout the tournament.
That pressure has been heightened by the significance of the occasion. This is the first AFCON staged in Morocco since 1988 and the first edition of the competition to begin in one year and conclude in another. All of Morocco’s matches have been played in Rabat, where early jeers from home fans during the group stage have gradually turned into overwhelming support as results improved.
Convincing victories over Cameroon in the quarter-finals and a tense penalty shootout win against Nigeria in the semi-finals have set the stage for a packed stadium of nearly 70,000 supporters hoping to witness history.
“I think we deserve to be in the final,” Regragui said. “We have played top teams like Mali, Cameroon and Nigeria, and now we face another of the best teams. To be recognised as a major football nation, we have to win titles. This match is extremely important for our history.”
Morocco’s lone AFCON triumph came in 1976 in Ethiopia, and their last final appearance ended in defeat to Tunisia in 2004 — a match Regragui featured in as a player. Now at the helm, the French-born coach is determined to go one step further, aware that failure could cost him his job ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
“What I have done in the past cannot be taken away from me,” Regragui said. “The most important thing is that Morocco are in the final.”
Standing in their way are Senegal, Africa’s second-ranked side and one of the continent’s most consistent teams over the past decade. The Lions of Teranga are contesting their third AFCON final in four editions, having lost to Algeria in 2019 before lifting the trophy for the first time in 2022 with a penalty shootout victory over Egypt.
After a surprise round-of-16 exit in 2024, Senegal responded strongly, qualifying for the World Cup and reaching the final in Morocco with a narrow semi-final win over Egypt, sealed by a decisive strike from Sadio Mane.
The Senegal squad is rich in experience, with key figures such as Mane, goalkeeper Edouard Mendy, captain Kalidou Koulibaly and midfielder Idrissa Gana Gueye all aged between 33 and 36. Mane has hinted that this final could mark his last AFCON appearance.
“I am a soldier of the nation and I always try to give my all,” Mane said. “But the most important thing is to bring this cup to Dakar.”
Senegal will, however, be without Koulibaly, who is suspended — a significant setback in a final expected to be decided by fine margins. The absence of their defensive leader comes in a contest between two of the tournament’s strongest backlines, with Morocco and Senegal having conceded just three goals combined.
As Rabat prepares for a night of high drama, Africa’s two best teams will battle for supremacy — Morocco chasing redemption and history on home soil, Senegal seeking to add another chapter to their golden era.
