Host nation Morocco will open the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday, December 21, with a Group A clash against Comoros at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.
The Atlas Lions head into the tournament as one of the favourites, hoping to lift the AFCON trophy for the first time since 1976 and claim a second continental title on home soil. While Morocco have paraded strong squads in recent years, they have not reached the semi-finals since 2004, making this home campaign a major opportunity to end that drought.
Comoros are appearing at the Africa Cup of Nations for just the second time. The island nation made headlines on their debut at AFCON 2021 by reaching the knockout stage, and another solid performance in Morocco would further underline their steady rise in African football.
The opening match will kick off at 8:00pm local time (GMT+1). Morocco are expected to lean on the experience of striker Youssef En-Nesyri, supported by midfielder Ismael Saibari, while star full-back Achraf Hakimi remains sidelined with injury but could return later in the competition. For Comoros, forward Myziane Maolida and captain Youssouf M’Changama are expected to play key roles.
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Morocco and Comoros have met four times previously, with the Atlas Lions recording three wins and one draw.
AFCON 2025 will be broadcast across more than 30 countries worldwide, with coverage available on platforms including SNRT in Morocco, NTA and BON in Nigeria, SABC Sport in South Africa, Channel 4 in the UK, beIN Sports in Europe, North America and the MENA region, as well as SuperSport across Sub-Saharan Africa.
