King Mohammed VI Hails Morocco’s Historic Success in Hosting AFCON 2025

His Majesty King Mohammed VI has expressed profound appreciation to the Moroccan people and all national stakeholders for their role in the successful hosting of the 35th Africa Cup of Nations, staged in the Kingdom from December 21, 2025 to January 18, 2026.

In a Royal Cabinet statement issued at the conclusion of the tournament, the Sovereign praised the collective efforts that ensured the “complete success” of what he described as a magnificent continental event, widely recognized and acclaimed across the world.

King Mohammed VI commended citizens in all host cities for their dedication and sense of responsibility, thanking them for their valuable contributions to what he termed a historic achievement for Morocco, African football, and the Arab world.

The Monarch also paid tribute to millions of Moroccan supporters at home and abroad who passionately and exemplarily backed the national team throughout the competition. He highlighted the Atlas Lions’ rise to eighth place in the FIFA world rankings as a remarkable accomplishment, attributing it to a forward-looking sports policy, sustained infrastructure development, and the patriotic commitment of talented players from the Moroccan diaspora who chose to represent their country of origin with pride and distinction.

According to the statement, AFCON 2025 will be remembered not only for its sporting excellence but also for showcasing Morocco’s qualitative leap in development and progress. The tournament, the King noted, reflected the success of a long-term national vision and a distinct Moroccan development model that places the citizen at the center of all ambitions.

While acknowledging that the final stages of the tournament were regrettably marred by incidents during the closing minutes of the final between Morocco and Senegal, the Sovereign emphasized that such events should not overshadow the broader success of the competition. He expressed confidence that, once emotions subside, inter-African fraternity will prevail, stressing that Morocco’s achievement is also an African success.

The King further reaffirmed Morocco’s pride in having hosted a month-long celebration of popular joy and sporting emotion, contributing to the global radiance of Africa and its football. Addressing attempts at denigration or discrediting, he underlined the resilience and wisdom of the Moroccan people, noting that no hostile designs could undermine the deep historical ties and cooperation shared among African nations.

The statement concluded with a reaffirmation of Morocco’s enduring commitment to Africa. King Mohammed VI stressed that the Kingdom will remain faithful to the values of fraternity, solidarity, and respect, and will continue to work toward a united and prosperous continent through cooperation, partnerships, and the sharing of expertise and know-how.

Samuel Ahmadu

Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.

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