Morocco have made unwanted African football history after becoming the first nation to lose both the men’s Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) and the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) finals on home soil.
Softfootball gathered, on Sunday 18 January 2026, when the Atlas Lions lost 1–0 to Senegal in a chaotic AFCON 2025 final played in Rabat.
The match was tense and highly controversial, as Senegal strongly protested a penalty awarded to Morocco during added time.
The decision sparked chaos on the pitch and briefly threatened to derail the final before play eventually resumed. Senegal went on to score the decisive goal in extra time to seal their second AFCON title.
This defeat echoed a similar heartbreak for Morocco in women’s football. Earlier, during the WAFCON 2024 tournament, also hosted by Morocco, Nigeria produced a champion’s performance to stun the hosts 3–2 in the final at Rabat. The Super Falcons came from two goals down to secure a dramatic comeback victory, clinching a record-extending 10th Women’s Africa Cup of Nations title.
Morocco’s hosting of both WAFCON 2024 and AFCON 2025 has sparked widespread debate across the continent. Nigeria Super Falcons star Asisat Oshoala has been among the most vocal critics, expressing her dissatisfaction with the Confederation of African Football’s decision to award consecutive major tournaments to the North African nation.
With two finals lost at home in a short span, Morocco’s ambitious hosting era has delivered historic moments, but also painful lessons, as continental glory slipped away in both men’s and women’s competitions.
