AFCON
A look back: When Morocco hosted the 1988 Africa Cup of Nations
As Morocco gears up to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) with the Final Draw scheduled to be held on Monday, 27 January in Rabat, it’s worth revisiting the last time this North African nation welcomed Africa’s premier football tournament.
The 1988 edition marked a pivotal moment in AFCON history, showcasing Morocco’s burgeoning football culture and its ability to host a continental event of such magnitude.
In the late 1980s, Morocco emerged as a strong candidate to host the AFCON. With a football-mad population, growing infrastructure, and a strategic location in North Africa, Morocco was a natural choice.
CAF awarded Morocco hosting rights in recognition of its commitment to the sport and its ability to organize an event that would captivate fans across the continent.
A Compact Tournament: Dates, Teams, and Venues
The 1988 AFCON ran from March 13 to 27, offering an intense two-week showcase of African football talent.
Unlike today’s expanded 24-team format, the tournament featured just eight teams, split into two groups of four.
Matches were played in two host cities: Casablanca, at the iconic Mohammed V Stadium, and Rabat, at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
This compact format ensured that every match carried significant stakes, keeping fans on edge throughout.
Cameroon’s Triumph and the Tournament’s Drama
Cameroon emerged victorious, claiming their second AFCON title after defeating Nigeria 1-0 in a hard-fought final at the Mohammed V Stadium.
Emmanuel Kunde’s penalty secured the victory, capping a brilliant campaign for the Indomitable Lions.
Nigeria, led by the likes of Rashidi Yekini, finished as runners-up, while Algeria clinched third place by defeating hosts Morocco 4-1 in the playoff.
The home team, despite their passionate support, fell short of expectations, finishing fourth.
However, their participation added a layer of excitement and pride for Moroccan fans, who turned up in droves to cheer on their national side.
Stars of the Tournament
The 1988 AFCON was a showcase of individual brilliance. Cameroon’s Roger Milla was named the tournament’s best player, continuing his legacy as one of Africa’s greatest football icons.
Alongside him, Joseph-Antoine Bell, also from Cameroon, was recognized as the best goalkeeper for his stellar performances throughout the competition.
The golden boot was shared by four players: Algeria’s Lakhdar Belloumi, Cameroon’s Roger Milla, Egypt’s Gamal Abdelhamid, and Cote d’Ivoire’s Abdoulaye Traoré, each scoring two goals.
Their contributions highlighted the balance and competitiveness of the tournament.
A Legacy That Endures
The 1988 AFCON reinforced Morocco’s reputation as a capable and passionate host nation.
It also set the stage for the country’s future endeavors, including hosting major events such as the FIFA Club World Cup and preparing for the joint hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Portugal and Spain.
With world-class stadiums like the Mohammed V and Moulay Abdellah still standing tall, Morocco is ready to reclaim its place in the spotlight.
The upcoming 2025 AFCON is an opportunity to build on this legacy and deliver another unforgettable tournament.
Key Highlights of the 1988 AFCON:
Host Nation: Morocco
Tournament Dates: 13–27 March 1988
Host Cities: Casablanca and Rabat
Number of Teams: 8
Teams That Participated:
Morocco
Cameroon
Nigeria
Algeria
Egypt
Ivory Coast
Zaire (now DR Congo)
Kenya
Winner: Cameroon (2nd title)
Runner-Up: Nigeria
Third Place: Algeria
Fourth Place: Morocco
Top Scorers: Lakhdar Belloumi (Algeria), Roger Milla (Cameroon), Gamal Abdelhamid (Egypt), Abdoulaye Traoré (Ivory Coast) — 2 goals each
Best Player: Roger Milla (Cameroon)
Best Goalkeeper: Joseph-Antoine Bell (Cameroon)
CAF Team of the Tournament (Best XI):
Goalkeeper: Joseph-Antoine Bell (Cameroon)
Defenders: Ibrahim Youssef (Egypt), Emmanuel Kunde (Cameroon), Stephen Keshi (Nigeria), Abdelmajid Lamriss (Morocco)
Midfielders: Lakhdar Belloumi (Algeria), Gamal Abdelhamid (Egypt), Roger Milla (Cameroon)
Forwards: Abdoulaye Traoré (Ivory Coast), François Oman-Biyik (Cameroon), Rashidi Yekini (Nigeria)
Total Matches Played: 16
Goals Scored: 23 (1.44 per match)
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The African Football Confederation (CAF) and Royal Air Maroc (RAM) have sealed a historic strategic partnership that grants Morocco’s national airline the status of “Official Global Partner” for upcoming major African football competitions.
The agreement was signed Saturday morning in Casablanca, in the presence of Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaâ.
This partnership encompasses several prestigious tournaments, including the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (AFCON) 2025 (December 21, 2025 – January 18, 2026) and CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco (WAFCON) 2024 (July 5-26, 2025).
The agreement also covers CAF U-17 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF U-20 Africa Cup of Nations 2025, CAF Champions League 2024/2025 Finals, CAF Confederation Cup 2024/2025 Finals, and the CAF Women’s Champions League 2025.
CAF President Patrice Motsepe voiced enthusiasm about the collaboration.
“We are excited about the partnership between CAF and Royal Air Maroc, a world-class airline that will provide comfort and fly NationalTeams participating in the CAF competitions,” he said.
“We are confident that the CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 will be the most successful AFCON in the history of this competition.”
The agreement strengthens RAM’s footprint across Africa and globally, solidifying its role as a strategic gateway between Africa and the rest of the world. It also aligns with Morocco’s emergence as an international sports hub, with the country preparing to host AFCON 2025 and co-host the FIFA World Cup 2030.
RAM’s Chairman and CEO Hamid Addou stated: “This historic partnership with CAF aligns fully with our strategic vision as an airline deeply rooted in Africa and committed to its development.”
“Royal Air Maroc doesn’t just connect destinations; it builds bridges between cultures and passions. By supporting the continent’s biggest football competitions, we reaffirm our role as a facilitator of human and sporting exchanges,” he continued.
500,000 supporters expected
Beyond its partnership role, RAM will implement an exceptional operational system to meet increased demand during CAF competitions. The airline plans to welcome over 500,000 supporters for AFCON 2025.
“We believe we will surpass this figure by far,” revealed Addou. “We will be ready to accommodate these supporters across Royal Air Maroc’s entire network.”
The airline intends to double seat capacity from qualified countries already served by RAM, such as Dakar, Abidjan, Cairo, Tunis, Bamako, Lagos, and Douala.
RAM will also intensify flight frequencies from European cities with large African communities, including Paris, Brussels, Milan, London, Marseille, Lyon, Madrid, and Barcelona.
Additionally, the airline will establish a dedicated program for domestic air transport of national teams, shuttling them between their base camps and host cities.
This positioning establishes RAM as the primary connector between Africa and Europe through its Casablanca hub. FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaâ noted that the contract “reinforces Royal Air Maroc’s first-rate leadership role in Africa.”
“Royal Air Maroc is no stranger to football,” Lekjaâ added. “It has always supported generations of our athletes and footballers here in Morocco.”
“With this expertise and experience, they will contribute significantly to making AFCON 2025 Morocco exceptional, a historic turning point in African football, cultural coexistence and African cultural exchange,” he concluded.
Addou stressed RAM’s commitment to African unity: “We are all extremely proud to be African, and in every corner of this vast and magnificent continent, we share the same ambition—to actively contribute to Africa’s development and influence.”
The RAM CEO concluded by inviting everyone to upcoming CAF calendar events: “We’ll see you very soon for the great moments ahead in the CAF calendar, particularly the Women’s AFCON starting in July and, of course, the men’s AFCON, which kicks off on December 25.”
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The presidents of the regional councils concerned by the hosting of the matches of the Africa Cup of Nations (Morocco-2025) unanimously affirmed that the implementation of infrastructure projects in anticipation of this continental event “is progressing at a sustained pace”, declaring themselves “fully mobilized” to crown with success the major sporting events scheduled in the Kingdom.
They specified, in statements to the press in Rabat following a meeting at the headquarters of the Ministry of the Interior devoted to the assessment of the progress of the construction and rehabilitation works of the stadiums, that major sports infrastructure projects are underway in the six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech and Agadir.
The President of the Casablanca-Settat Regional Council, Abdellatif Maâzouz, announced that the projects planned for upcoming international sporting events, in particular the 2025 African Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, “are proceeding under good conditions.”
The projects related to the organisation of the AFCON will be ready by next July at the latest, he assured, specifying that there is a clear vision regarding the preparations underway for the AFCON and the 2030 World Cup, both in terms of equipment and organisational arrangements related to human resources and animation.
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AFCON
‘Land of Football’ is ‘Kingdom of Light’ as Moroccan Tourism Office and Football Federation Strike Accord
BY KUNLE SOLAJA.
Morocco’s football federation and tourism office have signed a groundbreaking agreement to establish the country as a major football and tourism destination leading to the milestone 2030 World Cup when the global football tournament clocks a century.
The Moroccan football body and the Tourism Office are building on the national team’s recent international success.
Though with just one success in the Africa Cup of Nations, Moroccan football soars higher than the rest in Africa and the Arab world at the World Cup.
Apart from being the only African and Arab country to have reached the World Cup semi-final stage, Morocco in the 1970 World Cup in Mexico became the first African team not to be defeated in a World Cup match when they forced Bulgaria to a 1-1 draw on 11 June.
Again, in Mexico, this time at the 1986 World Cup, Morocco became the first African team to top a group and cross the group stage.
They were just two minutes away from a major upset of West Germany in the round of 16 before Lothar Matthäus’ back-breaking goal.
The success of the football team and the tourism potential of Morocco have found a harmonious chord.
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) and the National Moroccan Tourism Office (ONMT) will work together under the banner “Morocco, Land of Football,” placing the sport at the heart of the country’s tourism strategy.
“More than an institutional partnership, this convention is a shared vision: that of a Morocco that shines through football and makes it a lever for promotion, pride and tourist attractiveness,” ONMT said in a statement released after the signing.
The timing of this collaboration is strategic, coming ahead of two major sporting events: the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
The initiative builds on widespread public enthusiasm following the Atlas Lions’ historic World Cup performance in 2022.
Under the agreement, both organizations will implement an integrated communication strategy combining visibility campaigns, influence marketing, and joint promotional activities.
The initiative will mobilize iconic figures from Moroccan football to bring this vision to life, to showcase the country’s world-class sporting facilities, rich cultural heritage, and diverse tourist attractions.
ONMT has launched a major offensive at making Morocco, the ultimate tourism and business destination as the clock ticks down to the 35th Africa Cup of Nations holding in December.
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