Morocco Prepares for Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Amid Football Growth

Rabat, Morocco – Morocco is stepping into the global spotlight as the host of the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (Wafcon), set to take place from July 5 to 26. This follows the successful staging of the 2022 finals and sets the stage for another edition in 2026. The national team, the Atlas Lionesses, aims to build on their recent second-place finish on home soil and capture the championship this year.

The enthusiasm surrounding women’s football in Morocco is palpable. Mehdi El Qaichouri, coach of the premier women’s team FUS Rabat, believes this tournament will inspire young girls to pursue football. “It might trigger young girls to start playing officially or dream of being a professional and, why not, one day be part of our national team,” he said.

The FUS Rabat team trains near the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, where an African record crowd of 50,000 attended the 2022 Wafcon final. The club finished fourth in the Moroccan Women’s Championship last season. While AS FAR dominated with their 12th title, El Qaichouri sees a future with more competitive opportunities for all clubs.

Kawtar Bentaleb, goalkeeper for FUS, noted the increased visibility of women’s football. “It didn’t use to be given any attention,” she remarked. The upcoming tournaments in Morocco, both for men and women, will foster valuable development for the sport.

Morocco is sprucing up its infrastructure with grand plans ahead. The country will host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations in December and is preparing to co-host the FIFA World Cup in 2030. This includes expanding airport capacity significantly and renovating 45 stadiums and training facilities. The highlight will be the construction of the Stade Hassan II near Casablanca, which will hold 115,000 spectators.

<p“A lot of development is taking place here,” said a local visitor to Rabat’s souk. “They’ve been building multiple projects and making sure the infrastructure is ready.” The hospitality sector is also gearing up, as local business owner David Azuelos expressed hopes for a successful tournament experience that would welcome visitors worldwide.

The investment in the Stade Hassan II is estimated at $500 million. However, concerns remain as some communities in Morocco are still recovering from the 2023 earthquake. Economic disparity continues to challenge the country, where the unemployment rate stands at 21.3%.

<pDespite these challenges, forward Rosella Ayane highlighted a significant shift in investment towards women’s football in Morocco and across Africa. “If you invest your time, money and resources, then it’s only going to improve,” she said.

<pAs anticipation builds for the Wafcon, all eyes will be on the Atlas Lionesses to seize the moment and potentially bring home their first continental title.