Luqja: Winning the Africa Cup of Nations is a Necessity, Not an Option for Morocco

Morocco is competing in the Africa Cup of Nations finals from Sunday until January 18, facing a dual challenge: winning the title that has eluded them for 50 years and ensuring an exemplary organization ahead of hosting the 2030 World Cup jointly with Spain and Portugal.

The President of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, told Agence France-Presse, "Winning the Africa Cup of Nations is not an option but a necessity that imposes itself."

Meanwhile, the Atlas Lions' coach, Walid Regragui, said during the tournament draw in January in Rabat, "Our mission is to win the title after 50 years without a championship; we will do everything possible to keep this cup here."

The two men, along with Moroccan fans, are eagerly awaiting the return of team captain and star Ashraf Hakimi to competition after his hoped-for recovery from an ankle injury that sidelined him since early November, making him ready to participate in the opening match against Comoros on Sunday at the Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat.

Attention is not only on Morocco's performance on the green field but also on every detail of the organization outside the nine stadiums hosting the tournament, as the kingdom is expected to welcome fans from more than 120 countries who have purchased over one million tickets so far.

In the streets of Rabat, the atmosphere of competition is gradually emerging as the tournament approaches, with the phrase "Welcome to Morocco" and "The Kingdom of Football" adorning the city's airport facades, train stations, and billboards across various streets, while squares are decorated with the flags of the twenty-four participating countries.

Since 2008, Morocco has launched a roadmap to improve sports conditions, focusing especially on football, the most popular sport in the country, which has benefited from infrastructure development and training of youth and coaches.

The kingdom aims to "reach the top tier for all national teams and compete at the highest level," as Lekjaa explains.

Alongside the sporting aspect, Morocco is also betting on benefiting from the opportunity of co-hosting the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal to develop its infrastructure and stimulate economic growth, having launched several projects in transport, tourism, and communication technology.

While awaiting the World Cup, which will be hosted in six Moroccan cities, the Africa Cup of Nations will be organized for the first time in history across nine stadiums in the same cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Marrakech, Agadir, Tangier, and Fez.

However, these preparations have not been without controversy, as a youth protest movement called "Generation Z 212" appeared in late September, demonstrating against the deterioration of public health and education services, criticizing some members' investment in stadium construction, and sometimes calling for a boycott of the Africa Cup of Nations.

Recently, the Moroccan Association for Human Rights condemned "violent arrest campaigns" targeting undocumented migrants for deportation outside Rabat, "aimed at clearing public spaces and improving the city's image" before the tournament.

Earlier, animal rights defenders accused Morocco of planning to exterminate stray dogs before hosting sports events, allegations denied by the authorities.

Despite these criticisms, Lekjaa affirms that Morocco has "been ready for several years to host the Africa Cup of Nations."

He explains that the goal is to make this tournament "meet the standards of major sporting events so that we reach 2030 under the best possible conditions."

He clarified that all measures for welcoming fans at airports are ready, noting the mobilization of more than 15,000 volunteers and 5,000 organizers inside the stadiums to ensure the smooth running of the tournament.

He also pointed out that fan zones outside the stadiums "will host pavilions for traditional products from various African countries, allowing all these countries to showcase their wealth and heritage."

He concluded, "All the ingredients are available to make this edition not only a football celebration but also a global and international African celebration."