Unlike the Senegalese, who have officially lost their African champion title, Morocco will not celebrate their victory on paper at the 2025 CAN during their friendly match against Paraguay this Tuesday (8 pm) in Lens. But the atmosphere promises to be beautiful at the Bollaert stadium.
The preparation match for the 2026 World Cup against Paraguay, scheduled for this Tuesday (8pm) in Lens, is highly anticipated by the Moroccan diaspora in France, eager to see their national team again. The Atlas Lions had already come to Pas-de-Calais in September 2023 to face Burkina Faso (1-0), a few months after the earthquake that had hit their country hard.
Once again, the Bollaert stadium will be full: the first 25,000 tickets were sold in just five hours, the rest went quickly and there will be 38,000 people in the stands. “We are very happy to reunite with the diaspora from France, Belgium, or the Netherlands,” enthuses the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF). The spectators will ensure a warm atmosphere, as in Madrid on Friday during the draw against Ecuador (1-1).
Mohamed Ouahbi will not speak to the media
However, there will be no celebrations for the 2025 CAN like those organized by the Senegalese after their victory against Peru on Saturday at the Stade de France (2-0). Unlike Senegal, who have been officially stripped of their title pending the appeal study by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), Morocco will not display its winning status. No messages or signs celebrating the title, no trophy…
The FRMF continues to emphasize that the appeal jury awarded the victory to the Moroccans on paper (3-0), without boasting publicly. The idea is still the same for the Atlas Lions: the rules must be respected. Although it had been discussed, coach Mohamed Ouahbi will finally not speak to the media before the match against Paraguay, showing that Morocco does not want to send a message publicly.
The new coach already held a late-night press conference on Friday in Madrid, and the Moroccans arrived on Sunday early evening at their hotel in the North, a bit later than expected, leading to the cancellation of a training session. This friendly match against Paraguay will be a celebration, but without celebrating the African champion status, pending the conclusions of the CAS. The event has also attracted numerous media, as 160 journalists – even if there are some visa issues – are accredited for the event (including 60 photographers), while 250 requests had been submitted.
