Morocco will aim to underline their standing as one of Africa’s dominant football nations and finally end a half-century of heartbreak when they take on Senegal in today's Africa Cup of Nations final.
The north African country has been a powerful force on the continent's football stage for more than a decade, regularly winning competitions at all levels and becoming a hub with powerful political and financial influence.
But while their ascendancy has been evident in all sectors of Africa's most popular sport, their one weak spot has been the Cup of Nations where the Atlas Lions have been heavily fancied in recent editions but flopped.
They will be hoping to finally reap rewards for their considerable investment, in players and facilities, some of which were recently upgraded and will be used when they co-host the 2030 World Cup with Portugal and Spain.
However, Senegal’s Lions of Teranga have the potential to be party spoilers with a formidable squad that has lost one of their last 34 internationals - to Brazil in London two months ago.
Today’s clash in Rabat is their third final appearance in the last four editions and they will have many key players with experience in their line-up, not least talisman Sadio Mane.
Senegal's Sadio Mane celebrates his goal against Egypt in a semi final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations at the Tangier Grand Stadium, Tangier, Morocco on January 14, 2026.
Photo credit: Reuters
Morocco have enjoyed top ranking on the continent since becoming the first African country to reach the World Cup semi-finals in Qatar in 2022 and last year broke the record for the most successive wins by a national team, before stretching it to 19.
But the country has previously won the African crown just once in 1976 and only appeared in one final since (2004) and that seemed to weigh heavily as they made a tentative start to the tournament last month.
They looked to have rid themselves of those nervy shackles, however, in their last two matches against Cameroon and Nigeria with an impressively aggressive and fast approach to the game.
They will also have enthusiastic support from the majority of the crowd at the Stade Moulay Abdellah, with the country swept up in footballing fervour.
Achraf Hakimi scores his penalty during the penalty shootout between Morocco and Nigeria in the semi final of the Africa Cup of Nations at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, Morocco on January 14, 2026.
Photo credit: Reuters
“It’s a unique moment for us,” said captain Achraf Hakimi after their semi-final success in midweek.
“We’ve made history once again, this team deserves it. All Moroccans deserve it. We are very happy, but we haven’t finished the job yet.”
How Senegal cope with the pressure, especially as they have largely sauntered through their six matches, will be key but their coach Pape Bouna Thiaw said: "We wanted to play in this final, now we have to go and win it.”
Meanwhile, Tensions mounted on the eve of the Africa Cup of Nations final as Senegal’s coach Pape Bouna Thiaw criticised a lack of security for his players when they arrived in Rabat ahead of Sunday’s decider and were mobbed at the city’s train station.
Senegal coach Pape Thiaw during a press conference at the main media centre in Rabat, Morocco on January 17, 2026.
Photo credit: Reuters
The players had no security escort as they got off the train after a 90-minute trip on Friday from Tangier, where they had been based through their first six games of the tournament.
His remarks at the pre-match press conference on Saturday prompted one local journalist to try to defend Morocco’s organisers, drawing howls of protest from Senegalese counterparts.
Earlier on Saturday, the Senegal Football Federation issued a statement condemning not only the lack of security on arrival in Rabat but also the standard of their accommodation and training facilities ahead of the final against the host nation.
“Today, Africa’s image is at stake. Our competition, which no one used to watch, is now very prestigious. We mustn’t squander that,” Thiaw said on Saturday.
“So far, the organisation has been excellent, and a big thank you to Morocco. But we all witnessed what happened on Saturday.
“A well-organised event needs to be properly finished; it’s important. What happened yesterday was unacceptable. A team like Senegal, getting off the train, is left facing a crowd like that; the players were in danger,” he added.
