I was among the journalists fortunate enough to obtain accreditation from the Confederation of African Football to cover the Africa Cup of Nations hosted by Morocco—an accreditation that grants its holder the freedom to choose which matches to attend, subject to approval by the organizing committee. At times, however, my requests to attend certain matches were rejected, as priority was often given to media outlets from the two countries involved in the fixture.
Putting this detail aside, this edition, organized by Morocco, witnessed record-breaking media attendance and unprecedented global interest in the continental tournament. Among the scenes that best captured this media momentum, one moment remains particularly vivid in my memory.
After the final match between our national team and Senegal, as I was about to leave the stadium through the corridor reserved for journalists, I came across four reporters, each standing in front of a camera with a cameraman beside them. All four belonged to the same media group, France 24. One was narrating the story in French, the second in English, the third in Spanish, while I did not catch the language spoken by the fourth. It was a meticulously organized scene: a single narrative line, a unified rhythm, and a multilingual discourse—summarizing with professionalism how international media operate when a host country captures global attention.
I do not deny that the bitterness was deep after the tragic ending of the tournament. Yet that scene continued to impose itself on my thoughts, until I decided to write these lines to document part of what I experienced during this edition, with both its strengths and its shortcomings. The primary aim, however, is not merely to list positives and negatives, but to pause and reflect on the lessons learned. Moving beyond this stage will be difficult without fully understanding it and without building a collective mindset that does not see failure as an end, but rather as a step toward constructing an integrated system across various sectors.
In today’s world, it is often said that numbers do not lie; they have become synonymous with success or failure—to the point where we now say that numbers speak for themselves. By this logic, the Moroccan edition achieved genuine success, not only for the host country but for the African continent as a whole. According to official figures, revenues increased by nearly 90 percent compared to the previous edition, while the number of sponsors and partners rose from 17 to 23. Moreover, matches were held—an unprecedented continental first—across nine stadiums in six cities, with classified hotels and training facilities provided for all teams, in addition to the warm popular reception extended to African fans from across the continent.
This organizational success was accompanied by a notable performance from the Moroccan national team. Despite modest displays in some matches, the team remained the leading favorite to win the trophy, which would have added to the title secured half a century ago. However, weak tactical performance in the final—after players’ energy had been drained during the Nigeria match, described by football experts as the best match of the tournament—despite the players’ high level of commitment, combined with what can be described as gamesmanship displayed by some Senegalese players and sections of their
supporters, squandered a valuable opportunity for Africa to present itself to the world as a continent capable of combining efficient organization, sportsmanship, fraternity among peoples, and shared human values that should unite participating teams. Instead, the world was left with a conclusion that, unfortunately, reinforced the old Western narrative portraying Africa as a continent incapable of managing its successes or fully grasping its pivotal moments.
At first glance, this may seem like nothing more than football—or, as we say in our dialect, “an inflated piece of leather.” Yet this sport has become one of the most powerful tools of global influence, as the most popular game in the world. The image projected by some members of the Senegalese team and segments of their supporters during this moment was, regrettably, a negative one that does not serve the future of a continent facing major challenges affecting state stability and the interests of its peoples.
Today, Morocco was deprived of lifting the trophy and also deprived of celebrating a globally successful organization. The country entered this tournament hoping it would become a moment of African convergence at the northwestern edge of the continent, and an inspiring model focused on the present and the future—an impression conveyed by several African and Arab influencers who visited Morocco on this occasion.
What must be understood today is that this stage, however painful, should not be a reason for Morocco to distance itself from its continent or to retreat from its African depth. On the contrary, it represents a real opportunity for Moroccan media and decision-makers alike to understand that presenting Morocco to the world and defending its image is, first and foremost, an internal responsibility, and one that cannot under any circumstances be delegated to others.
A country subjected to sustained propaganda campaigns and targeted by rumors and disinformation cannot confront such attacks with silence, excessive restraint, embarrassment that prevents the truth from being told, or constant fear of making mistakes. The only viable response is a professional, free, and self-confident national media, supported by proactive institutional communication that places accurate information at the disposal of public opinion before it is even requested, and that builds a narrative rather than merely reacting to events.
In this same context, one cannot overlook attempts by certain neighboring and rival countries to exploit the climate of continental competition to portray Morocco negatively, by promoting ready-made accusations and fake news aimed at influencing public sentiment and inflaming the atmosphere of rivalry—particularly in an African context where the ground is sometimes fertile for conspiracy theories. The danger of such behavior increases when space is left for counter-narratives, even when their authors’ intentions may appear benign, as the logic of social media is unforgiving: its algorithms reward sensationalism, while some unprofessional media find fake news an easy commodity to circulate.
Perhaps the most dangerous example of this was the spread of claims alleging that Morocco controls the levers of the continental federation and buys refereeing decisions—a narrative that was not refuted in a timely or sufficient manner. Later, during a press conference, the President of the Confederation of African Football explained the reasons behind choosing Morocco to host several continental tournaments, noting that many African countries had declined to organize certain events, including the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, for fear of
financial losses, while Morocco expressed its readiness to assume responsibility and provide support.
However, despite the validity of this explanation, it was left without proper communicative framing to clarify its background and context, opening the door to negative interpretations. National media did not pay sufficient attention to the danger of leaving such statements exposed to misinterpretation, once again highlighting the importance of media vigilance and proactive defense of the country’s image.
In our time, it is no longer enough to succeed in organization or on the field; one must also be prepared to defend that success with equal determination, professionalism, and clarity. For those who do not tell their own story will always find someone else telling it for them—on their own terms.
