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AFCON Daily Live blog: Rolling updates of the day’s action, events and key moments

Published:

🕐 21:03 GMT

FULL TIME. Morocco 2-0 Comoros
Goals from Brahim Diaz and Ayoub El Kaabi secure the opening victory for hosts Morocco as they 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations gets underway. There will be more matches tomorrow. Join us tomorrow for the updates. 




🕐 20:43 GMT

GOALLLL. Morocco 2-0 Comoros
Ayoub El Kaabi scores for Morocco with left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Anass Salah-Eddine.

🕐 20:24 GMT

GOALLLL. Morocco 1-0 Comoros
Brahim Diaz has given the home side the lead with right footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom left corner. Assisted by Noussair Mazraoui. 

 



🕐 20:14 GMT

SECOND-HALF UNDERWAY. Morocco 0-0 Comoros 
The Atlas Lions have returned for the second half hoping their dominance before the break will result in the opener but Comoros are hoping for a surprise. 

🕐 19:55 GMT

HALF-TME. Morocco 0-0 Comoros 
The Atlas Lions had a good chance of opening but Soufiane Rahimi missed from the penalty spot. Rahimi's right footed shot was saved in the bottom left corner by goalkeeper Yannick Pandor.




🕐 19:03 GMT

Kick-off. The match is underway!!!!!
The opening ceremony is complete and Africa’s biggest football celebration is set to begin as Morocco prepare to face Comoros, officially launching the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025.



🕐 18:50 GMT

The two teams are on the pitch and few minutes to kick off. The national anthems are done and it is time for action - the 35th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations, Morocco 2025. Hakimi, who is on the bench tonight, brings out his CAF African Footballer of the Year award

 

 




🕐 18:20 GMT

With the 35th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations opened attention will turn to the pitch as hosts Morocco take on Comoros. And the starting line-ups:





🕐 17:57 GMT

CAF President Dr Pratrice Motsepe takes to the stage to address the fans after an amazing musical show of the opening ceremony. He declares the AFCON open. 

 



🕐 17:25 GMT

Tonight’s match will officially open a competition featuring 24 teams, 52 matches and a prize fund headlined by a USD 10 million reward for the champions. The opening ceremony musical display is on in grand style.



🕐 17:10 GMT

Supporters from Comoros have also made their presence felt, adding colour and voice to the occasion as they prepare to witness their team take part in the tournament curtain-raiser.



🕐 17:00 GMT

Some minutes to go and the opening cefremony is on. Rabat is firmly in AFCON mode. Flags, banners and official branding dominate the stadium precinct as anticipation builds steadily.



🕐 16:50 GMT

Final sound and lighting checks are underway ahead of the opening ceremony, which will precede kick-off and officially usher in a month of football across Morocco. Ladies and gentlemen welcome Assad who makes his first global appearance as the mascot of this edition of the AFCON: 

 



🕐 16:40 GMT

CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe and senior football administrators from across the continent are expected to attend the opening ceremony, highlighting the importance of AFCON 2025 on Africa’s sporting calendar.




🕐 16:30 GMT

Stadium gates have opened, with early arrivals taking their seats. Officials confirm that tonight’s match is a sell-out, ensuring a full house for the opening whistle. The dressing rooms are getting ready:





🕐 16:10 GMT

Morocco’s head coach Walid Regragui is expected to name his starting XI later this afternoon, with fitness management remaining a key consideration ahead of a demanding group-stage schedule.

 



🕐 16:00 GMT

Attention is turning to the refereeing team, with Jean-Jacques Ndala and his assistants scheduled for their final pre-match briefing. CAF has emphasised calm authority and consistency as key expectations for the tournament opener.



🕐 15:40 GMT

CAF officials have reiterated that AFCON 2025 is the 35th edition of the competition, first staged in 1957. Over nearly seven decades, the tournament has grown into one of world football’s most competitive international events.

🕐 15:30 GMT

Fans wearing jerseys, national colours and traditional attire are gathering around Rabat’s main boulevards. The atmosphere remains festive, underlining AFCON’s reputation as more than just a football tournament.

🕐 15:20 GMT

The opening fixture carries strong symbolism: hosts Morocco begin their AFCON journey in front of a home crowd, while Comoros take centre stage in one of the most watched matches in their footballing history.

 

🕐 15:10 GMT

Team operations continue smoothly, with both Morocco and Comoros completing light activation sessions at their respective bases. Focus is now firmly on matchday routines and final tactical briefings.




🕐 15:00 GMT

The opening ceremony rehearsals are complete. CAF officials have described tonight’s spectacle as a celebration of African culture, unity and identity, setting the tone for a tournament spread across six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Agadir, Fez and Marrakech.



🕐 14:50 GMT

Moroccan authorities have confirmed full security readiness around the stadium and key fan zones in Rabat. Transport links, access routes and crowd control measures are in place as supporters begin filtering towards the venue.





🕐 14:40 GMT

Final preparations are ongoing at the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah, with pitch inspections completed and broadcast crews setting up for a global television audience expected to run into the hundreds of millions.




🕐 14:30 GMT

Before kick-off, the opening ceremony will set the tone for AFCON 2025, blending music, culture and spectacle in front of a global television audience. Morocco and Comoros will then take centre stage as the continent’s football story begins its next chapter. Ahead of that there were official concerts to open the AFCON last night




🕐 14:20 GMT

Dignitaries, football legends and global celebrities are expected in the stands for tonight’s opening ceremony and match, reflecting the growing international appeal of the Africa Cup of Nations.




🕐 14:10 GMT

Excitement is building across Rabat, with fans from across Africa and beyond filling streets, cafés and fan zones. Supporters have travelled from Europe, Asia and the Americas to witness Africa’s biggest football spectacle in person.




🕐 14:00 GMT

Ndala will be supported by a strong officiating team, including Guylain Bongele Ngila and Mwanya Gradel Mbilizi as assistant referees, with Dahane Beida overseeing Video Assistant Referee duties. CAF continues to emphasise accuracy and consistency in officiating at major competitions.

🕐 13:50 GMT

CAF has appointed Congolese referee Jean-Jacques Ndala to officiate the tournament opener. The FIFA-listed official will take charge of his fourth AFCON opening week, underlining CAF’s confidence in one of Africa’s most experienced referees.



🕐 13:40 GMT

All eyes will be on the Complexe Sportif Prince Moulay Abdellah tonight, where tickets for the opening match have sold out, guaranteeing a capacity crowd for Morocco’s opening fixture. A packed stadium is expected to provide a powerful backdrop as AFCON returns to Moroccan soil.




🕐 13:30 GMT

The historic prize increase underlines CAF’s drive to strengthen club and national team football across the continent. The runners-up will receive USD 4 million, while the two losing semi-finalists will each take home USD 2.5 million.

🕐 13:20 GMT

This year’s tournament marks another milestone for African football, with CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe confirming a 43% increase in prize money. The AFCON 2025 champions will earn USD 10 million, the highest payout in the history of the competition.



🕐 13:10 GMT

The countdown to kick-off continues in Morocco, with the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025 set to begin tonight in Rabat. The opening match between hosts Morocco and Comoros will officially launch the 35th edition of Africa’s flagship football competition, running until 18 January 2026.

 

🕐 13:00 GMT



13:00 GMT: The 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations gets underway today in Morocco, launching a month-long celebration of African football across six host cities and nine stadiums.

From the opening whistle to the final trophy lift, CAFOnline.com will be providing daily updates will be your constant companion throughout the day, bringing you every key development as it happens.

We will deliver rolling updates from matches, training camps, press conferences and fan zones, alongside confirmed team news, kick-off times and official announcements.

But for the minute-by-minute reporting on goals, line-ups, substitutions and major talking points as the tournament unfolds, you can visit our dedicated AFCON page for the live play-by-play updates on the matches.

But beyond the action on the pitch, this page will also track the wider rhythm of AFCON — from cultural moments and stadium atmospheres to logistical updates and competition milestones. 

Whether you are following the hosts Morocco, tracking title contenders or watching emerging nations make their mark, this live page will keep you fully informed throughout the day. 

Stay with us as Africa’s biggest football spectacle comes to life, one update at a time, with all timings listed in GMT.