As the host of the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), Morocco is consolidating its position as a central driver of African football, thanks to world-class infrastructure and advanced talent-development policies, according to a special report by the French television network TV5.
In its program “Morocco: 30 Days Before AFCON,” TV5 emphasizes that the Kingdom has become “the locomotive of Africa in terms of infrastructure,” noting that numerous African national teams now train or play friendly matches in Morocco. This growing attractiveness, the outlet explains, is rooted in long-term investments in modern sports facilities and comprehensive training programs across the country.
TV5’s sports consultant, Hervé Kouamou, highlighted that the rise of Moroccan football is “the result of local training policies, but also the scouting of young dual nationals to build cohesive groups of players.” He stressed that Morocco is among the African nations that have most successfully integrated both home-grown players and diaspora talent. As an example, he pointed to the U20 national team, which won the World Cup in Chile with a squad combining academy-trained players and others identified abroad.
Kouamou also underlined that Morocco has deliberately chosen sport as a key instrument of soft power. “It is a way of communicating with the world and with Africa through sports,” he said, adding that the Kingdom’s strategy of hosting major international events is clearly paying off. Morocco is currently preparing, alongside Spain and Portugal, to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
For this edition of the Africa Cup of Nations, scheduled from December 21 to January 18, TV5 reports that the competition will be held across six cities, with 24 teams competing in six groups. Matches will take place in nine stadiums, all of which have been either newly built or fully renovated—among them the extensively modernized Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
Kouamou added that the timing of AFCON—coinciding with end-of-year festivities—will transform the tournament into a major sporting and celebratory event for fans across the continent and beyond.
