Where is WAFCON? Morocco's World Cup-facelift leaves women's football in its shadow

Firdose Moonda has been exploring the sights, sounds and women's football culture of Morocco ahead of WAFCON 2024

Credit: Confederation of African Football

It’s the summer holidays in Morocco, and in the streets, groups of young boys play serious football matches late into the night. Despite the unevenness underfoot in the ancient medinas – where there are cobbles, paving, and many, many stairs – they have no fear of broken bones. They tackle hard, pass quickly and easily show signs of irritation if a visitor gets in the way of a cross.

“It’s a revolution,” a tour guide in Tangier tells me. “Since we reached the semi-finals of the World Cup, football is everywhere.”

But there are no girls playing in these evening encounters, and with the Women’s African Cup of Nations (WAFCON) mere days away, I can’t help but wonder why. My guide doesn’t have any answers except that of his four sons, three play football. That underlines the point about the sport’s popularity, but doesn’t explain why I haven’t seen any evidence of it among the women in the coastal city where I’ve made my first stop.

Tangier is not one of the host venues for WAFCON, as its ground – the Stade Ibn Batouta, named after the famous 14th-century explorer – is being renovated for the men’s tournament later this year. The city itself is undergoing a massive renovation project aimed ahead of the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host alongside Spain and Portugal, including major upgrades to the seafront area. As a city with a vibrant hybrid culture, just 14 kilometres from Spain at the nearest point, and a destination for bohemian writers from the Beat Generation, Tangier will be a World Cup hit, even if the WAFCON vibe is almost entirely non-existent.