Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations
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Morocco has participated in the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 20 times, where they have won 2 championships and 33 matches, lost 19 matches, drawn 27 matches, and scored a total of 95 goals.
The Morocco national football team began its participation in AFCON much later than other North African states, but quickly emerged as one of its strongest contenders. They made their debut in the 1972 Africa Cup of Nations, and shortly thereafter became the second North African side to win the AFCON cup in the 1976 tournament.[1] Since then, they have appeared in the finals in 2004, where they were runners-up to Tunisia,[2] and in 2025, which they won after the opposing side was ruled to have forfeited the match.[3] Notably, neither of their titles have come from actually winning their final match: the 1976 tournament was decided in a round robin final group and ended with a draw between Morocco and Guinea, and Senegal had originally beaten Morocco in the 2025 final.
Morocco had been scheduled to host the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations, but controversially withdrew over fears of an ebola outbreak, causing their team to be disqualified from that year's tournament.[4] They then hosted and became the champions of the 2025 tournament in a highly disputed and controversial final, which saw the Moroccans lose 1–0 at home to Senegal before handed a 3–0 victory by CAF Appeals Board two months later.[5]
Overall record
| Africa Cup of Nations record | Africa Cup of Nations qualification record | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Round | Position | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | |
 1957 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1959 | |||||||||||||||
 1962 | Withdrew | Withdrew | |||||||||||||
 1963 | Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 6 | ||||||||
 1965 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
| 1968 | |||||||||||||||
| 1970 | Did not qualify | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||
 1972 | Group stage | 5th | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 6 | |
 1974 | Did not enter | Did not enter | |||||||||||||
 1976 | Champions | 1st | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 11 | 6 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 13 | 4 | |
| 1978 | Group stage | 6th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | Qualified as defending champions | ||||||
 1980 | Third place | 3rd | 5 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 5 | |
 1982 | Did not qualify | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 4 | ||||||||
 1984 |
4 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 2 | |||||||||
 1986 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | |
 1988 | Fourth place | 4th | 5 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 3 | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
 1990 | Did not qualify | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||
 1992 | Group stage | 9th | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 2 | 11 | 4 | |
| 1994 | Did not qualify | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ||||||||
 1996 |
4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | |||||||||
 1998 | Quarter-finals | 6th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2000 |
Group stage | 11th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 6 | 4 | |
 2002 |
9th | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | ||
 2004 | Runners-up | 2nd | 6 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 4 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 0 | |
| 2006 |
Group stage | 13th | 3 | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 0 | 17 | 7 | |
| 2008 |
11th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 1 | ||
 2010 | Did not qualify | 10 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 14 | 13 | ||||||||
  2012 |
Group stage | 12th | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 2 | |
| 2013 |
10th | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 2 | ||
| 2015 | Disqualified | Originally qualified as hosts, then disqualified | |||||||||||||
| 2017 | Quarter-finals | 7th | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2019 | Round of 16 | 9th | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 8 | 3 | |
 2021 | Quarter-finals | 5th | 5 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 8 | 5 | 6 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 10 | 1 | |
| 2023 | Round of 16 | 11th | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | |
| 2025 |
Champions | 1st | 7 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 13 | 4 | Qualified as hosts | ||||||
   2027 |
To be determined | To be determined | |||||||||||||
| Total | 2 Titles | 20/35 | 74 | 29 | 25 | 20 | 87 | 66 | 122 | 66 | 31 | 25 | 190 | 84 | |
By match
- – Win
- – Draw
- – Lose
| AFCON tournament | Round | Date | Opponent | Score | Morocco scorers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 |
Group stage | 25 February 1972 |  Congo |
1–1 | Faras |
| 27 February 1972 |  Sudan |
1–1 | Faras | ||
| 29 February 1972 |  Zaire |
1–1 | Faras | ||
| 1976 |
Group stage | 1 March 1976 | Sudan |
1–1 | Fetoui, Abouali |
| 4 March 1976 | Zaire |
1–0 | Zahraoui | ||
| 6 March 1976 | Nigeria |
3–1 | Faras, Tazi, Chebbak | ||
| Final round | 9 March 1976 | Egypt |
2–1 | Faras, Zahraoui | |
| 11 March 1976 | Nigeria |
2–1 | Faras, Guezzar | ||
| 14 March 1976 |  Guinea |
1–1 | Makrouh | ||
| 1978 |
Group stage | 6 March 1978 | Tunisia |
1–1 | Amcharrat |
| 9 March 1978 | Congo |
1–0 | Amcharrat | ||
| 11 March 1978 | Uganda |
0–3 | – | ||
| 1980 |
Group stage | 9 March 1980 | Guinea |
1–1 | Mustapha |
| 13 March 1980 | Algeria |
0–1 | – | ||
| 16 March 1980 | Ghana |
1–0 | Labied | ||
| Semi-finals | 19 March 1980 | Nigeria |
0–1 | – | |
| Third place | 21 March 1980 | Egypt |
2–0 | Labied (2) | |
| 1986 |
Group stage | 8 March 1986 | Algeria |
0–0 | – |
| 11 March 1986 | Cameroon |
1–1 | Merry | ||
| 14 March 1986 |  Zambia |
1–0 | Chilengi (o.g.) | ||
| Semi-finals | 17 March 1986 | Egypt |
0–1 | – | |
| Third place | 20 March 1986 | Ivory Coast |
2–3 | Rhiati, Sahil | |
| 1988 |
Group stage | 13 March 1988 | Zaire |
1–1 | Merry (p) |
| 16 March 1988 | Algeria |
1–0 | El Haddaoui | ||
| 19 March 1988 | Ivory Coast |
0–0 | – | ||
| Semi-finals | 23 March 1988 | Cameroon |
0–1 | – | |
| Third place | 23 March 1988 | Algeria |
1–1 (3–4 p) |
Nader | |
| 1992 |
Group stage | 12 January 1992 | Cameroon |
0–1 | – |
| 14 January 1992 | Zaire |
1–1 | Rokbi | ||
| 1998 |
Group stage | 9 February 1998 |  Zambia |
1–1 | Bahja |
| 13 January 1998 |  Mozambique |
3–0 | Chiba, Elkhattabi, Fertout | ||
| 17 January 1998 | Egypt |
1–0 | Hadji | ||
| Quarter-finals | 22 January 1998 | South Africa |
1–2 | Chiba | |
| 2000 |
Group stage | 25 January 2000 |  Congo |
1–0 | Bassir |
| 29 January 2000 | Tunisia |
0–0 | – | ||
| 3 February 2000 | Nigeria |
0–2 | – | ||
| 2002 |
Group stage | 21 January 2002 | Ghana |
0–0 | – |
| 26 January 2002 | Burkina Faso |
2–1 | Zerouali (2) | ||
| 30 January 2002 | South Africa |
1–3 | Benmahmoud (p) | ||
| 2004 |
Group stage | 27 January 2004 | Nigeria |
1–0 | Hadji |
| 31 January 2004 |  Benin |
4–0 | Chamakh, Mokhtari, Ouaddou, El Karkouri | ||
| 4 February 2004 | South Africa |
1–1 | Safri (p) | ||
| Quarter-finals | 8 February 2004 | Algeria |
3–1 (a.e.t.) | Chamakh, Hadji, Zairi | |
| Semi-finals | 11 February 2004 | Mali |
4–0 | Mokhtari (2), Hadji, Baha | |
| Final | 14 February 2004 | Tunisia |
1–2 | Mokhtari | |
| 2006 |
Group stage | 20 January 2006 | Ivory Coast |
0–1 | – |
| 24 January 2006 | Egypt |
0–0 | – | ||
| 28 January 2006 | Libya |
0–0 | – | ||
| 2008 |
Group stage | 21 January 2008 |  Namibia |
5–1 | Alloudi (3), Sektioui, Zerka |
| 24 January 2008 | Guinea |
2–3 | Aboucherouane, Ouaddou | ||
| 28 January 2008 | Ghana |
0–2 | – | ||
| 2012 |
Group stage | 23 January 2012 | Tunisia |
1–2 | Kharja |
| 27 January 2012 | Gabon |
2–3 | Kharja (2) | ||
| 31 January 2012 |  Niger |
1–0 | Belhanda | ||
| 2013 |
Group stage | 19 January 2013 | Angola |
0–0 | – |
| 23 January 2013 |  Cape Verde |
1–1 | El-Arabi | ||
| 27 January 2013 | South Africa |
2–2 | El Adoua, Hafidi | ||
| 2017 |
Group stage | 16 January 2017 |  DR Congo |
0–1 | – |
| 20 January 2017 |  Togo |
3–1 | Bouhaddouz, Saïss, En-Nesyri | ||
| 24 January 2017 | Ivory Coast |
1–0 | Alioui | ||
| Quarter-finals | 29 January 2017 | Egypt |
0–1 | – | |
| 2019 |
Group stage | 23 June 2019 | Namibia |
1–0 | Keimuine (o.g.) |
| 28 June 2019 | Ivory Coast |
1–0 | En-Nesyri | ||
| 1 July 2019 | South Africa |
1–0 | Boussoufa | ||
| Round of 16 | 5 July 2019 | Benin |
1–1 (1–4 p) |
En-Nesyri | |
| 2021 |
Group stage | 10 January 2022 | Ghana |
1–0 | Boufal |
| 14 January 2022 |  Comoros |
2–0 | Amallah, Aboukhlal | ||
| 18 January 2022 | Gabon |
2–2 | Boufal (p), Hakimi | ||
| Round of 16 | 25 January 2022 |  Malawi |
2–1 | En-Nesyri, Hakimi | |
| Quarter-finals | 30 January 2022 | Egypt |
1–2 (a.e.t.) | Boufal (p) | |
| 2023 |
Group stage | 17 January 2024 | Tanzania |
3–0 | Saïss, Ounahi, En-Nesyri |
| 21 January 2024 | DR Congo |
1–1 | Hakimi | ||
| 24 January 2024 | Zambia |
1–0 | Ziyech | ||
| Round of 16 | 30 January 2024 | South Africa |
0–2 | – | |
| 2025 |
Group stage | 21 December 2025 | Comoros |
2–0 | Brahim, El Kaabi |
| 26 December 2025 | Mali |
1–1 | Brahim | ||
| 29 December 2025 | Zambia |
3–0 | El Kaabi (2), Brahim | ||
| Round of 16 | 4 January 2026 | Tanzania |
1–0 | Brahim | |
| Quarter-finals | 9 January 2026 | Cameroon |
2–0 | Brahim, Saibari | |
| Semi-finals | 15 January 2026 | Nigeria |
0–0 (4–2 p) |
– | |
| Final | 18 January 2026 | Senegal |
3-0 (originally 0-1 a.e.t.) |
Senegal was stripped from the title after it was determined that leaving the pitch resulted in a forfeit. |
Top goalscorers
| Rank | Player | Goals | Years (goals) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ahmed Faras | 6 | 1972 (3), 1976 (3) |
| 2 | Youssef En-Nesyri | 5 | 2017, 2019 (2), 2021, 2023 |
| Brahim Díaz | 2025 (5) | ||
| 3 | Youssef Mokhtari | 4 | 2004 (4) |
| 5 | Khalid Labied | 3 | 1980 (3) |
| Youssouf Hadji | 2004 (3) | ||
| Soufiane Alloudi | 2008 (3) | ||
| Houssine Kharja | 2012 (3) | ||
| Sofiane Boufal | 2021 (3) | ||
| Achraf Hakimi | 2021 (2), 2023 | ||
| Ayoub El Kaabi | 2025 (3) |
Awards
AFCON Best Player
AFCON Top Scorer
- 1980: Khalid Labied (3 goals)
- 2004: Youssef Mokhtari (4 goals)
- 2012: Houssine Kharja (3 goals)
- 2025: Brahim Díaz (5 goals)
AFCON Best Goalkeeper
Team of the Tournament
- 1972: Allal Ben Kassou, Boujemaa Benkhrif[6]
- 1976: Mohammed Al-Hazaz, Mustapha "Chérif" Fetoui, Ahmed Faras
- 1978: Mohammed Al-Hazaz, Larbi Ihardane
- 1988: Tijani El Maataoui, Aziz Bouderbala
- 1998: Noureddine Naybet
- 2004: Walid Regragui, Abdeslam Ouaddou, Youssouf Hadji[7]
- 2012: Houssine Kharja (substitute)[8]
- 2017: Mbark Boussoufa (substitute)
- 2021: Achraf Hakimi[9]
- 2025: Yassine Bounou, Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazraoui, Brahim Díaz[10]