Women's Futsal AFCON: Morocco Learns Rivals
Morocco Women's Futsal team will play against Cameroon and Namibia in Group A for their first-ever AFCON participation.
Angola, Egypt, and Guinea will battle it out in Group B, while Group C includes Madagascar, Tanzania, and Senegal.
The competition will run from April 22 to April 30 in Morocco.
The two teams who will make it to the final will also get a ticket to the Women's Futsal World Cup in the Philippines, scheduled to take place from November 21 to December 7, 2025.
Morocco's women's team will be hoping to emulate the success of their male counterparts. The Atlas Lions have won three Africa Futsal Cups (2016, 2020, 2024). They also made history in 2021 reaching the FIFA Futsal World Cup quarterfinals– the first African team to do so.
Morocco rules the Arab Futsal too. Hicham Dguig's men won five times the Arabs cup (1998, 2005, 2021, 2022, 2023). They have beaten teams like Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and Kuwait in the last finals with ease.
With back-to-back wins in both Africa and the Arab region, Morocco now stands as one of the best futsal teams in the world. Tags: 2025 Futsal AFCONWomen's Futsal AFCONwomen's futsal team
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Ya Biladi
a day ago
- Ya Biladi
Friendly match : Ayoub El Kaabi secures victory for Morocco against Benin
With a revamped lineup, Morocco edged past Benin 1–0 in a friendly match on Monday evening at the Fès Sports Complex. As announced beforehand, Walid Regragui used the occasion to test new strategies and explore fresh options. Zakaria El Ouahdi started on the right flank, stepping in for Achraf Hakimi, the PSG star and newly crowned European champion. In goal, Munir Kajoui, fresh off a CAF Confederation Cup victory with RS Berkane, was given the start. In midfield, Oussama Saharoui was tasked with supporting El Kaabi and Rahimi up front. From the outset, the Atlas Lions applied heavy pressure against a Beninese side that sat deep in defense. Saibari and Rahimi set the tone early in the first half. Morocco pushed hard for openings, constantly threatening the opposition's box, but Benin stayed compact, looking for counterattacks that were mostly snuffed out in midfield. In the 33rd minute, El Kaabi missed a left-footed shot after a defensive miscommunication on the Beninese side. Just seconds before halftime, El Kaabi redeemed himself with one of the most spectacular goals of his career — a bicycle kick finish off a perfect cross from Masina, whom Regragui later called «the pleasant surprise» of the night. Morocco went into the break with a deserved 1–0 lead. The second half followed a similar pattern: Moroccan dominance in attack against a disciplined Beninese defense. Regragui made a few changes, bringing on Targhalline and Zouhzouh to inject energy into the midfield. Bilal El Khannouss and Marouane also came off the bench.
Morocco World
2 days ago
- Morocco World
Morocco Edges Benin 1-0 in Friendly Game
Rabat – Morocco played Benin this evening at the Fez Grand Stadium in a highly anticipated friendly game. The match drew a full house in Fez, with large numbers of local fans supporting the national team in a key test of tactical depth and squad rotation. Morocco claimed a hard-fought win against a resilient Benin side that struggled to contain the Atlas Lions' attacking efforts. In the first half, Morocco dominated possession and maintained pressure deep in Benin's half, patiently searching for an opening. Just when it seemed the teams would head into the break level, Ayoub El Kaabi delivered a moment of brilliance in the 47th minute, into stoppage time. Latching onto a well-placed cross, he executed a spectacular scissor kick past the goalkeeper, sending the crowd in Fez into celebration. The goal was a deserved reward for Morocco's control throughout the half and gave the team a boost heading into the second period. Morocco kept pressing for a second goal after the break, but a series of missed chances and solid defending from Benin kept the score unchanged, and the match ended with a deserved 1-0 win for the home side. The international friendly is part of the teams' preparation for the upcoming Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON). Morocco secured a 2-0 win in Friday's friendly against Tunisia, but the team's overall performance left much to be desired. These two friendly matches present Morocco a valuable window to fine-tune its tactical approach, experiment with squad depth, and strengthen team chemistry ahead of high-stakes continental competitions. With strong fan support and a clear vision for the months ahead, the Atlas Lions remain focused on building consistency and momentum. Tags: Atlas LionsMorocco Benin gameMorocco footballMorocco friendly match
Morocco World
3 days ago
- Morocco World
Badou Zaki Defends Hakimi's Ballon d'Or Case: ‘He Stands Above the Rest'
Rabat – As football's most prestigious individual award draws closer, the names of usual suspects begin to fill headlines — attacking giants, prolific scorers, flashy midfield maestros. But away from the spotlight reserved for goal tallies and commercial hype, a quieter yet compelling case unfolds. It is the story of Achraf Hakimi, Morocco's Atlas Lion and Paris Saint-Germain's tireless right-back, whose season demands more than polite applause. This story calls for serious Ballon d'Or consideration. To some, suggesting a defender, especially a right-back, for the Ballon d'Or might seem far-fetched. Yet, when stripped of biases and marketing noise, the award's criteria are clear: individual brilliance, collective achievement, and visible influence on the field. Hakimi checks every box. Former Moroccan goalkeeper Badou Zaki, a legend in his own right, sees no exaggeration in calling for Hakimi's inclusion. 'The Ballon d'Or must go to the player who outshines the rest,' Zaki said. 'We talk about team trophies, personal contributions, and the values a player brings to the game. Hakimi belongs in that conversation.' This season, PSG finally broke its Champions League curse. Hakimi played a central role in that success, not as a supporting figure but as one of the team's anchors. He lifted four trophies with the French club, including the elusive Champions League title, a feat many consider the ultimate test of greatness. But team silverware is only part of the picture. On an individual level, Hakimi offered performances that no fullback has matched in years. He scored four goals and provided five assists in the Champions League alone. These numbers would impress even an attacking midfielder. From his position at the back, they astonish. Hakimi also redefined what it means to play as a right-back. He darted up and down the flank, switched roles fluidly, and often dictated the rhythm of matches. It's no longer enough to say he's one of the best in his position. He now stands as a full-fledged footballer. Still, his name rarely surfaces in Ballon d'Or predictions. Instead, the conversation sometimes shifts to rising stars like Lamine Yamal. 'Frankly, I'm surprised,' Zaki said, 'when someone like Lamine Yamal is mentioned as a contender, even though he hasn't done half of what Hakimi achieved, and I say this with great respect for Yamal's talent and potential. But if we're being fair with the criteria, I don't see how he ranks above Hakimi.' 'To me, the real competition should be between Ousmane Dembélé and Achraf Hakimi. And there's an important detail, Dembélé is in the conversation because he scored eight goals in the Champions League, which is his job as a forward. Meanwhile, Hakimi scored four as a defender, whose primary role is not to find the net,' Zaki added. Recognition for African players has always been limited. Only one African, George Weah, has ever lifted the Ballon d'Or. That was nearly 30 years ago. If the football world takes its own rules seriously, Hakimi has done more than enough to change that. He didn't just have a good season; he led, delivered, and transformed expectations. Tags: Achraf HakimiAtlas LionsBadou ZakiHakimiMorocco football
