AFCON
CAF names Lookman among five players to watch at Morocco 2025
With five days until the final draw of 35th edition of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is held in Morocco, anticipation is building.
For many of Africa’s brightest football talents, this will be a golden opportunity to showcase their skills on one of the continent’s biggest stages.
Here’s a look at five players expected to shine during this prestigious tournament.
Ademola Lookman (Nigeria, Atalanta Bergamo)
Crowned African Player of the Year at the CAF Awards on December 16, 2024, in Marrakech, Ademola Lookman will undoubtedly be one of the most closely watched stars at the 2025 AFCON.
The Atalanta Bergamo forward earned the accolade following a spectacular season where he guided his club to UEFA Europa League glory with a historic hat-trick in the final against Bayer Leverkusen.
Last season, Lookman scored an impressive 27 goals and provided 13 assists, form he has carried into the current campaign with 11 goals in 18 matches.
At the previous AFCON, he contributed three goals to Nigeria’s remarkable run to the final, where they fell 2-1 to hosts Côte d’Ivoire.
The Super Eagles will rely heavily on his offensive prowess in Morocco.
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon, Brighton)
At just 20 years old, Carlos Baleba has established himself as a midfield powerhouse for both Brighton and the Cameroon national team.
Under the guidance of Belgian coach Marc Brys, Baleba played a pivotal role in Cameroon’s flawless qualification for AFCON 2025, finishing atop Group J with 14 points.
His performances in the English Premier League have also attracted interest from Europe’s top clubs.
Set to make his AFCON debut, the former Elite Academy product from Cameroon is poised to make a significant impact on the tournament. His blend of talent and confidence could be key to the Indomitable Lions’ success.
Carlos Baleba (Cameroon, Brighton)
At just 20 years old, Carlos Baleba has established himself as a midfield powerhouse for both Brighton and the Cameroon national team.
Under the guidance of Belgian coach Marc Brys, Baleba played a pivotal role in Cameroon’s flawless qualification for AFCON 2025, finishing atop Group J with 14 points.
His performances in the English Premier League have also attracted interest from Europe’s top clubs.
Set to make his AFCON debut, the former Elite Academy product from Cameroon is poised to make a significant impact on the tournament.
His blend of talent and confidence could be key to the Indomitable Lions’ success.
Brahim Diaz (Morocco, Real Madrid)
Brahim Diaz is set to make his AFCON debut on home soil for Morocco after choosing to represent the country of his heritage over Spain. During the qualification phase, Diaz was outstanding, finishing as the top scorer with seven goals in six matches.
The 25-year-old attacking midfielder from Real Madrid will bolster the Atlas Lions as they aim to end a title drought that dates back to 1976. With the Moroccan crowd behind him, Diaz could be the driving force Morocco needs to clinch the trophy at home.
Simon Adingra (Côte d’Ivoire, Brighton)
Simon Adingra left an indelible mark on the last AFCON, where Côte d’Ivoire triumphed on home soil.
Despite being sidelined during the group stage due to injury, Adingra’s two assists in the final helped secure a 2-1 victory over Nigeria, earning him the Man of the Match award.
At 22, Adingra continues to shine in the Premier League with Brighton, gaining invaluable experience that will benefit the Elephants in Morocco.
With his creative flair and maturity, he is poised to play a pivotal role in Côte d’Ivoire’s title defence.
Ronwen Williams (South Africa, Mamelodi Sundowns)
Ronwen Williams’ heroics during the last AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire are still fresh in memory.
His spectacular saves, both during matches and penalty shootouts, helped South Africa claim a commendable third-place finish.
The 32-year-old goalkeeper was named African Goalkeeper of the Year at the CAF Awards 2024 and was also recognized as the Best Interclub Player for his performances in the CAF Champions League with Mamelodi Sundowns.
With his form still peaking, Williams is expected to deliver more show-stopping moments in Morocco.
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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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