For years, Morocco has served as a “big home” for African football. Numerous national teams found its stadiums to be their only refuge for hosting official matches, after their own grounds failed to meet the standards set by the Confederation of African Football (CAF). But the scene has shifted noticeably in the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup: the number of matches played on Moroccan soil has dropped significantly.
For the first time in more than five years, Morocco has been assigned only five matches out of the 13 scheduled for the ninth and tenth rounds. This figure stands in sharp contrast to the usual average, as Morocco typically hosted around ten matches during every international break.
This shift raises many questions. Is it simply a fair distribution of matches among other African countries seeking to prove their readiness? Or is it a new CAF approach aimed at reducing the near-total reliance on Morocco? There may even be a political–sporting dimension, reflecting the federation’s desire to push more countries to invest in their infrastructure.
Despite the decrease in number, the nature of the matches that Morocco will host—such as Djibouti vs. Egypt on October 8—shows that confidence in Moroccan organization has not diminished. Morocco is still seen as the “safe option” when it comes to sensitive fixtures.
In reality, the decline does not imply a loss of status. Morocco has proven in recent years that it possesses the infrastructure and expertise that place it among Africa’s leading nations, especially as it approaches a pivotal milestone with the hosting of AFCON 2025.
However, what is happening now clearly indicates that the phase of “Moroccan monopoly” is beginning to give way to a new continental balance.
This change is not a setback; rather, it is a natural evolution within a diverse African landscape. Morocco remains the primary “guarantor” of football standards, but the deeper message is that hosting responsibilities are beginning to spread across the continent—something that may reshape Africa’s sporting map in the coming years.
