AFCON: Mali’s Head Coach Praises Morocco’s Top-Level Conditions for All Teams

“Thanks to the wise and far-sighted vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has been able to develop world-class football and hospitality infrastructure and has accumulated extensive experience and proven expertise in hosting and organizing major sporting events of continental and even international significance,” Diallo said in an interview with MAP.

“Whenever the Confederation of African Football (CAF) needs to organize major events, the Kingdom is ready to host them and guarantee their success, thanks to its stadiums, reception and accommodation facilities, road, sports and other infrastructure,” he said, recalling that in the spirit of African solidarity, the Kingdom does not hesitate to open its infrastructure, free of charge, for training camps, training courses, or advanced training, etc., to more than a dozen countries on the continent.

“With these remarkable advances, Morocco is positioning itself at the very heart of football development on a continental scale,” Diallo said.

“We are certain and confident that we will witness a very high-quality Africa Cup of Nations, because Morocco is a hospitable country that loves and knows how to welcome visitors and is very well developed in terms of hospitality and organization,” he continued, expressing his great joy that his team will be playing in Morocco, a country of dreams and one that is so dear to all Ivorians.

On Morocco’s rise, particularly in the field of sports, he was keen to emphasize that “if all African countries manage to follow the Kingdom’s achievements and development, Africa will be world champion at every level,” considering that the work undertaken under the reign of His Majesty the King is ‘colossal’ and ‘tangible,’ enabling the Kingdom to rise to the rank of a true sporting nation par excellence.

In his view, thanks to the efforts made, Morocco now has a head start over all African countries because, through this AFCON, the Kingdom is already preparing to host the World Cup, he added, highlighting the clear and pragmatic Royal Vision based on results, which is clearly bearing fruit.

“We recently attended the CAF Awards ceremony held in Rabat, and we saw that the Kingdom won prestigious awards in all categories. This is the result of hard work and dedication; there is no secret,” said Diallo, expressing his country’s willingness to follow Morocco’s path and draw inspiration from its pioneering experience in the field of football to achieve the expected development.

“Morocco plays a central role in efforts to promote football across Africa. And the proof is that the Kingdom has had the great merit of organizing major continental football events (U17, U20, etc.), which is by no means a coincidence,” he recalled.

When asked about the major role played by the Mohammed VI Football Academy, he said that this “unprecedented” facility is a clear illustration of a successful strategy that has been developed and is now bearing fruit, noting that young talents have been discovered, are continuing their training, and are honing their skills at the Academy.

“This proves the relevance of the choice and vision and will enable us, across generations, to have a new generation of players capable of wearing the national jersey with pride,” he said, expressing his hope that Côte d’Ivoire would establish a football academy inspired by the Kingdom’s experience.

“We want to see this kind of success story replicated across Africa so that we can enjoy high-quality services and achieve great results in football. That would be ideal, given that even in Europe, there are few countries that have this kind of academy,” he said.

Regarding the participation of the Côte d’Ivoire Elephants in the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, he said that the Ivorian team is ready to go as far as possible in the competition, expressing his hope to see his team play a historic final against the Atlas Lions.

“Morocco has very good hotels, quality pitches and modern stadiums,” he told MAP, stressing that the quality of the infrastructure is an asset for all the teams involved, but the real advantage “mainly goes to Morocco,” which will be playing at home and enjoying the support of its fans.

Regarding Mali’s group, Saintfiet recalled that Morocco “is among the best teams in Africa and in the world,” assuring that the four teams in the group can all compete for qualification, which makes it necessary to respect every opponent.

Mali will open the competition on 22 December 2025 at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca against Zambia, before facing Morocco on 26 December at the Prince Moulay Abdallah Sports Complex in Rabat.

Tom Saintfiet’s men will conclude the group stage on 29 December, back at the Mohammed V Stadium in Casablanca, against Comoros.

Speaking during a press briefing outlining the latest preparations by the Kingdom to host what he described as a “global” event, the CAF secretary general said the tournament would be one of “all records.”

He highlighted the quality of the “world-class infrastructure” put in place by Morocco to ensure the success of Africa’s flagship competition.

In this respect, he expressed his thanks and deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI for the actions that the Sovereign has continuously undertaken for the development of African football, as well as to Morocco, which spared no effort in putting its sporting infrastructure at the disposal of its African brothers.

“We have never played an AFCON with such enthusiasm,” he said, adding that the quality of this AFCON is particularly reflected in the more than one million tickets sold so far.

“The indicators are there. We have never played an AFCON with nine stadiums,” he said, noting that “the popular enthusiasm for this competition is unprecedented.”

“We have recorded 18 more European countries that will broadcast this edition, making a total of 30 countries from the Continent, in addition to the 54 African countries,” he noted, pointing out that 3,800 media outlets are already accredited to cover this “global” event.

Véron Mosengo-Omba also maintained that the nine stadiums set to host the competition are “world class.”

“The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is a true museum,” he said, adding that “all these factors give us confidence that this will be a record-breaking Africa Cup of Nations in terms of competitiveness, hospitality and financial revenue.”

For his part, the general coordinator of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Mouad Hajji, underlined that AFCON Morocco 2025 “is not only a continental competition, but a global event.”

In this respect, he indicated that the CAF and the Local Organising Committee (LOC) are spending colossal efforts mainly in order to guarantee a fluid mobility for spectators, highlighting the Kingdom’s road, rail and hotel infrastructure.

The Africa Cup of Nations (Morocco 2025) will be held in nine stadiums located in six cities, namely Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir, Fez and Marrakech.

Even far from stadiums, football enthusiasts are invited to experience the fervor of the tournament, offering to both travelers and passengers a memorable experience, according to the National Office of Airports (ONDA).

This festive mode is part of a nationwide campaign launched by Morocco’s National Airports Office (ONDA) under the theme “Welcome Football, Welcome Fans.”

The initiative reflects ONDA’s commitment, in collaboration with the LOC and CAF, to transform infrastructure into spaces of engagement and community, while supporting a landmark sporting event on both the national and international stage.

Inspired by the Atlas lion, one of Morocco’s most iconic national symbols and a unifying and powerful figure across the African continent, his name means “lion” in Arabic, CAF said on its website, adding that it embodies strength, pride and cultural authenticity that resonates deeply with fans both in Morocco and throughout Africa.

As an ambassador for the tournament, ASSAD embodies the joy, passion and energy that define Africa’s most prestigious football competition, the same source emphasized, adding that he will play a crucial role in building an emotional connection and engaging audiences of all ages, especially children and families, who are central to football’s culture and its future.

ASSAD will play a leading role in fan engagement across stadiums, fan zones, and community events. He will support global marketing and promotional campaigns, enrich digital content and interactive experiences, and contribute to CAF’s long-term brand narrative.

ASSAD’s visual identity rests on a friendly, youthful lion whose expressive features and energetic personality reflect the warmth, creativity and diversity of Africa. His color palette and overall style align seamlessly with the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 brand, ensuring a unified and dynamic tournament look.

Conceived beyond the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025, ASSAD is fully in line with the long term vision for the future African football. He will continue to feature in CAF grassroots and youth development programs, school and community football initiatives, and future digital storytelling.

As a long-term ambassador for African football, ASSAD aims to inspire and connect with the next generation across the continent, CAF added.

With ASSAD leading the way, the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON Morocco 2025 is poised to deliver an unforgettable experience, celebrating unity, pride, and the power of African football. The introduction of ASSAD represents a major milestone in shaping the tournament’s character and deepening its cultural impact, CAF concluded.