2026 Futsal AFCON: Morocco Blanks Algeria 4-0 in Group A Opener

The Moroccan national futsal team made a successful debut at the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), defeating their Algerian counterparts with a decisive 4-0 victory on Monday evening at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Hall in Rabat, during the first matchday of Group A.

Younes Mkasri opened the scoring in the 10th minute before Youssef Jouad netted a hat-trick in the 12th, 26th, and 32nd minutes, securing a convincing win for the Atlas Lions.

Under the guidance of head coach Hicham Dguig, the Moroccans set the tempo right from the start, utilizing high pressing, fluid ball movement, and tactical discipline to take full control of the match over their opponents.

Despite Algerian attempts to respond, the national team maintained their lead through defensive discipline and their ability to exploit open spaces right up until the final whistle.

Following this first matchday, Morocco leads Group A with three points, tied with Zambia, who defeated Libya.

Hosted in Morocco from October 12 to 21, this continental tournament offers the defending champions another opportunity to confirm their African supremacy and defend their crown.

 AS FAR player Doha Madani won the Best Young Player of the Year award during the CAF Awards ceremony, held Wednesday evening in Rabat.

At 20 years old, the young Moroccan represents a true hope for Moroccan and African football.

Meanwhile, Tanzanian Clement Mzize, a TP Mazembe player, received the award for the Best Goal of the Year 2025.

Also nominated for the award were goals scored by Moroccans Oussama Lamlioui, forward for Renaissance Berkane, and Ghizlane Chebbak, captain of the Lionesses of the Atlas.

The Moroccan national futsal team earned, on Tuesday in Riyadh, the silver medal following its defeat (5-0) against Iran in the discipline’s final as part of the Islamic Solidarity Games.

Iran’s goals were scored by Amir Hossein Ghoulami, who scored a double, Mahdi Karimi, Hossein Taibi and Mohamad Hossein.

The Moroccan futsal team qualified for the final of the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games, beating Saudi Arabia 6-3 in Sunday’s semi-final in Riyadh.

The first half of this thrilling match ended in a 0-0 draw, despite slight dominance by Hicham Dguig’s men. 

In the second half, the Atlas Lions scored through Yanis Reddaf, Ismail Amzal, and Sofiane Bourite, while the Saudis managed to close the gap through Ihab Mohammed, Saleh El Garni, and Nawaf Arwan.

In extra time, Morocco sealed the deal with goals from Sofiane Chaaraoui, Driss Rais El Fenni, and Bilal El Bakkali.

In the final, scheduled for next Tuesday (5 p.m.), Morocco will face Iran, which defeated Uzbekistan 4-2 in the other semifinal.

 In a festive and emotional atmosphere, the members of Morocco’s U20 national football team, world champions, were warmly welcomed on Wednesday evening in Rabat by a large crowd, eager to celebrate their historic and unprecedented achievement in Chile.

Since the afternoon, hundreds of supporters gathered along Mohammed V and Hassan II avenues and on nearby main squares, awaiting the players’ passage on an open-top bus. They waved the national flag and wore team jerseys to express immense pride in this exceptional triumph, which cements Morocco’s place on the global football map.

Fans of all ages joined in joyous celebration, welcoming the young players as heroes with chants and traditional cries, accompanied by smoke flares, in recognition of the Atlas Lion Cubs’ unprecedented feat, becoming the first Arab team to win a U20 World Cup title.

In statements to MAP, citizens agreed that these champions had etched Morocco’s name in football history through their performance at the U20 World Cup, defeating the best teams in the world and proudly raising the national flag in Chile’s skies.

“Winning the World Cup is a moment of national fervor,” said Othman (31), from Tetouan, adding that the Atlas Lion Cubs’ achievement is a pride for all of Morocco and has written a golden page in the history of national football.

Similarly, Noura (13) from Marrakech expressed her excitement at attending with her family to greet the heroes of this epic journey, who brought immense joy to Moroccan households from Tangier to Lagouira, showing that the impossible is not Moroccan.

Karim (13) from Salé said he was delighted with the national team’s results. “I will remember this day for a long time; it made me dream of wearing the national team jersey and lifting the Cup like these champions,” he said.

Hassan (53), a Moroccan living in Germany, said he came specifically to celebrate the national team, expressing happiness over this historic football achievement and the praise the Moroccan team received from the German and international press.

Mouna (43), from France, also said that Moroccans are capable of historic achievements, noting that she traveled to Morocco to attend this popular reception for Zabiri and his teammates.

As the crowd began to disperse in a cheerful atmosphere, other supporters continued celebrating the national team’s victory along Mohammed V Avenue, singing improvised popular songs.

Morocco’s futsal team secured a 5-3 victory against Chile on Saturday in their opening match at the FIFA Futsal World Cup in Argentina.

Played at the Argentine Football Federation (AFA) headquarters, the match was intense from the outset, with both teams showing a strong desire to dominate. 

Chile, coming off a 4-2 loss to Argentina the previous day, aimed to set the pace with a physical approach. However, Morocco responded swiftly, leveraging the speed of their wingers and the tactical attacking schemes designed by coach Hicham Dguig.

Despite Chile’s strong pressure, the Lions of the Atlas maintained control, winning the majority of the duels and dictating the rhythm of the game, even amid questionable refereeing decisions that went against them.

For much of the second half, Morocco held a 5-2 lead, but a slight drop in concentration during the final minutes allowed Chile to narrow the gap.

After the match, Moroccan coach Hicham Dguig praised the fighting spirit of his players but expressed concerns about the refereeing, which he felt had favored the Chilean side.

“It was a tough match against a combative and aggressive Chilean team. Some of the refereeing decisions were questionable and made our task harder,” he said.

Dguig also noted the importance of the match for integrating new players into the squad: “This game was a real test for the young players recently called up. The aim was to expose them to pressure and test their ability to adapt to the collective dynamic of the team,” he added.

With this win over Chile, Morocco solidifies its status as a Futsal powerhouse ahead of a highly anticipated clash against the Argentine giants.