AFCON 2025 Opener: Morocco vs Comoros
The African Cup of Nations returns in today, Sunday, December 21 as Morocco welcome Comoros to Rabat for the opening match of the 2025 tournament. Under the floodlights of the Moroccan capital at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdallah, the Atlas Lions step onto home soil carrying not just the hopes of a nation, but the expectations of a continent eager for its biggest football celebration.
This encounter rekindles a rivalry that, while brief, already has history at AFCON level. Morocco and Comoros have crossed paths once before at the finals, during the 2021 edition in Cameroon, where the Atlas Lions asserted their pedigree with a composed 2–0 victory over the then debutants in the group stage. Overall, the two sides have met three times, with Morocco holding the edge—two wins and a draw, the stalemate coming in an AFCON qualifier.
Once again, the odds tilt in Morocco’s favour. Playing at home, backed by a passionate crowd and armed with a squad rich in elite talent, the hosts enter the tournament as one of the clear favourites.
Names that resonate across Europe headline the Moroccan team: Paris Saint-Germain’s marauding right-back Achraf Hakimi, Real Madrid’s creative Brahim Díaz, midfield dynamo Azzedine Ounahi, defensive pillar Nayef Aguerd, and the ever-reliable Yassine Bounou between the posts, alongside the steel and experience of Sofiane Amrabat.
Yet, AFCON has never been a competition that bows easily to reputation. The Coelacanths, arrive with belief forged from past surprises and the knowledge that on this stage, history is often rewritten. They have belief and have written a similar script before. Comoros upset Ghana to win 3-2 in their maiden appearance at the tournament in 2021.
However, an opening match to every tournament carries its own tension, its own unpredictability—ninety minutes where courage can rival class and unity can challenge star power.
As the first whistle sounds in Rabat, AFCON 2025 truly begins. This is more than a football match; it is Africa finding its voice through the beautiful game. Every tackle tells a story, every duel echoes pride, and every goal ignites dreams from the Mediterranean to the Cape. In North Africa tonight, a continent gathers once more—through football, through passion, through identity—to celebrate its finest festival.