Addis Ababa, December 21, 2025 (FMC) – Hosts Morocco kicked off the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) campaign with a comfortable 2‑0 victory over Comoros in the tournament’s opening match at Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah. The stadium welcomed a crowd of 60,118 spectators for the highly anticipated kickoff in the Moroccan capital.
After a tightly contested first half, Morocco broke through in the 55th minute when Brahim Diaz fired in a decisive strike to open the scoring, ending Comoros’ stubborn resistance. The hosts doubled their lead later in the match with a stunning overhead kick from Ayoub El Kaabi, a goal that left fans and commentators alike in awe.
Earlier in the match, Comoros goalkeeper Yannick Pandor had denied Morocco with a crucial save from a Soufiane Rahimi penalty, keeping the visitors in the game through the opening exchanges. Morocco’s defensive line suffered a setback when centre-back Romain Saiss was forced off injured in the first half, while captain Achraf Hakimi remained on the bench due to an ankle injury.
The tournament features 24 teams divided into six groups (A–F) of four teams each, with the top two teams from each group and the four best third-placed teams advancing to the Round of 16. Morocco is in Group A alongside Mali, Zambia, and Comoros. Matches are being played across nine venues in six Moroccan cities, including Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakesh, Agadir, Fez, and Tangier.
CAF has confirmed a record $10 million prize for the champions, while the runners-up will take $4 million and semi-finalists $2.5 million each, reflecting the growing prestige of the tournament. The 2025 edition runs from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026, with the Round of 16 beginning on 3 January and the final scheduled for 18 January 2026.
The victory sets a strong tone for Morocco as they aim to leverage home advantage in their pursuit of the continental title. AFCON 2025 is being broadcast across over 180 territories, reaching millions of fans worldwide, and marks one of the rare editions played over the Christmas and New Year period.
Morocco will now turn their focus to their next group-stage fixture, as AFCON 2025 officially gets underway across the continent.