Morocco begin their home 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations campaign against Kenya on Sunday night in Rabat, with the hosts aiming to turn back-to-back runners-up finishes into a first continental title.
The Group-stage fixture will be played at Stade Moulay El Hassan in the Moroccan capital, with kick-off set for 22:00 in France and 21:00 local time in Morocco.
In France, the match will be shown live on beIN Sports. In Morocco it will be broadcast on Arryadia as well as beIN Sports MENA, ensuring wide coverage across North Africa and the Middle East.
In-form hosts target strong start
Morocco come into the tournament in impressive form, unbeaten since the start of the year and buoyed by a heavy win in their final warm-up game.
The Lionesses of the Atlas rounded off their preparations with a 5-0 victory over Cape Verde in a friendly played in Casablanca on 21 July, underlining their attacking threat just days before the competition.
Having lost the last two Women’s AFCON finals, the two-time reigning runners-up are determined to “go all the way” this time and convert consistency into silverware. The opening match against Kenya is seen as a key opportunity to set the tone, even if an early win would not, in itself, guarantee a successful tournament.
Previous meeting gives Morocco an edge
Morocco and Kenya are far from strangers. The sides met in a friendly in June 2025, when Morocco recorded a resounding 5-1 victory over the Harambee Starlets.
That result, combined with Morocco’s recent unbeaten run and home advantage, leaves the hosts as clear favourites on paper heading into Sunday’s contest.
Kenya, by contrast, are still relative newcomers at this level. This will be only their second appearance at a Women’s AFCON finals, a decade after their debut in 2016.
On that first outing in 2016, the Harambee Starlets exited at the group stage after three defeats in three matches, finishing bottom of their pool without registering a single point.
A decade on, they return to the continental stage seeking a very different outcome, but face a formidable opening test against a Moroccan side intent on finally lifting the trophy on home soil.
