CAF AFCON MOROCCO 2025: UNDERSTANDING THE FIVE KEY LANGUAGES FOR AFCON FANS
Travelling to AFCON Morocco 2025? This guide to Darija (local Arabic), Amazigh, and French will help fans connect with locals and navigate the country.
Morocco is getting ready to host fans from all over Africa and the world. Visitors will find a country that’s friendly, welcoming, and full of different languages.
If you’re planning to go, knowing a bit about the main languages can really help you connect with locals and enjoy your time there.
The TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 is happening from December 21, 2025, to January 18, 2026. Here’s a quick look at the languages you’ll hear in Morocco.
Darija: The Language of Everyday Life
Darija is the most common language in Morocco. It’s a Moroccan type of Arabic that people use every day.
It mixes Amazigh, French, Spanish, and English, so it’s lively and fast. You’ll hear it in markets, cabs, cafes, stadiums, and fan zones. If you want to say hello to someone, try:
Darija Standard Greeting: Salam, kidayr?” — “Hello, how are you?”
Amazigh: An Official Language
Amazigh languages are also important. These include Tarifit in the north, Tamazight in the centre, and Tachelhit in the south.
Amazigh is an official language, so you’ll see it on signs and in public places. It’s written in Tifinagh script.
If you travel outside the big cities, especially to the mountains or desert, you’ll hear Amazigh spoken a lot.
Amazigh standard greeting: “Azul, amek tgit?” — “Hello, how are you?”
Arabic: The Formal Language
Modern Standard Arabic (Fus’ha) is used for education and official stuff, but not so much in everyday talk. You might hear it if you watch TV, read CAFOnline, or go to press conferences before and after the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON games.
Arabic standard greeting: “Marhaban, kayfa haluk?” — “Hello, how are you?”
French: Used in Business and Cities
Because of Morocco’s history, French is common in government, business, and cities.
Many public services, menus, and transportation info are in both Arabic and French. This makes it easier for people from West Africa and Europe to get around.
French standard greeting: “Bonjour, comment allez-vous?” — “Hello, how are you?”
Spanish and English
In the northern cities of Tangier, Tetouan, and Nador, many people still speak Spanish because of cultural ties.
More young Moroccans are learning English, as are people who work in tourism.
Spanish standard greeting: “Hola, ¿cómo estás?” — “Hello, how are you?”
With its many languages and friendly people, Morocco is a great place for all fans to visit.
THOMAS TUCHEL NAMES EXPANDED ENGLAND SQUAD FEATURING FOUR SURPRISE NEW INCLUSIONS
Thomas Tuchel hands maiden England call-ups to James Garner and Jason Steele while omitting Trent Alexander-Arnold.
James Garner from Everton and Brighton’s goalkeeper Jason Steele have earned their first call-ups to the England squad. Alongside them, AC Milan’s defender Fikayo Tomori and Tottenham’s forward Dominic Solanke have also been included. However, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Luke Shaw did not make the cut this time.
Jude Bellingham, despite being sidelined since early February due to a hamstring injury, is still part of the squad. Experienced centre-back Harry Maguire, now 33, has the chance to add to his 64 caps, while 20-year-old Kobbie Mainoo, who started in the Euro 2024 final, is also selected. Both last represented England in September 2024 but have been rewarded for Manchester United’s recent good form, which has lifted them to third place in the Premier League.
Luke Shaw, pushing for inclusion, has been overlooked once again. Instead, Tuchel has called up Newcastle’s Lewis Hall, marking his first call-up since Tuchel took over.
This squad is larger than usual, with players arriving in two phases during the international window. Tuchel explained on the Football Association’s website that the first group includes players who haven’t played much recently, aiming to broaden competition for spots in the upcoming US tour. Then, from Friday to Saturday, another group will join, including some who’ve had a short rest, to mix things up for the match against Japan.
England will face Uruguay at Wembley on March 27, followed by a home game against Japan on March 31. Looking ahead, the World Cup kicks off on June 11 in Canada, Mexico, and the United States, with England considered among the contenders.
Here’s the full squad breakdown:
Goalkeepers: Dean Henderson (Crystal Palace), Jordan Pickford (Everton), James Trafford (Manchester City), Aaron Ramsdale (Newcastle), Jason Steele (Brighton)
Defenders: Dan Burn (Newcastle), Marc Guehi (Crystal Palace), Lewis Hall (Newcastle), Ezri Konsa (Aston Villa), Tino Livramento (Newcastle), Harry Maguire (Manchester United), Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City), Jarell Quansah (Bayer Leverkusen), Djed Spence (Tottenham), John Stones (Manchester City), Fikayo Tomori (AC Milan)
Midfielders: Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest), Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid), James Garner (Everton), Jordan Henderson (Brentford), Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), Declan Rice (Arsenal), Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa), Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
Forwards: Jarrod Bowen (West Ham), Dominic Calvert-Lewin (Leeds), Eberechi Eze (Arsenal), Phil Foden (Manchester City), Anthony Gordon (Newcastle), Harry Kane (Bayern Munich), Noni Madueke (Arsenal), Cole Palmer (Chelsea), Marcus Rashford (Barcelona), Bukayo Saka (Arsenal), Dominic Solanke (Tottenham)
WHY CAF STRIPPED SENEGAL OF THEIR AFRICA CUP OF NATIONS TITLE
Following a final walk-off, Senegal has lost its AFCON trophy in the boardroom, prompting an appeal to CAS by the FSF.
Moussa Niakhate finally spoke out after the Confederation of African Football’s shocking decision to take Senegal’s Africa Cup of Nations trophy away. After that wild walk-off in the final against Morocco, CAF backed an appeal and handed the host nation a 3-0 win by default. Senegalese players were furious; who wouldn’t be?
The boardroom decision completely flipped African football on its head. Two months after the final, the CAF Appeal Board tossed out Senegal’s victory and gave Morocco the win. It all started deep into stoppage time when VAR gave Morocco a penalty. Pape Thiaw, Senegal’s manager, lost it and told his players to leave the field. Eventually, they came back and finished the match. Still, officials said the walk-off broke tournament rules, so they took the title away. Brutal.
Niakhate, the 30-year-old defender who was key in Senegal’s backline, got asked about it before Lyon’s Europa League match with Celta. He’d already posted a photo with his medal and the trophy right after the ruling. He made it clear: nothing a boardroom says can erase what happened on the pitch. He said, “Out of respect for the club and with the crucial match in mind, I don’t want to go into too much detail. You saw my reaction on social media; it’s the same today. What I can say is that nothing has changed for me compared to what we went through in January. I’ll have time to talk about it again in due course; for now, I’m going to stay focused on Lyon.”
That final in Rabat was pure chaos, even before Senegal won 1-0 on the field. Most players followed Thiaw down the tunnel, but Sadio Mane stayed, urging his teammates to come back. Brahim Diaz took the penalty but tried a Panenka, and Edouard Mendy caught it easily. The game went to extra time, Papa Gueye scored, and Senegal thought they were champions again. It didn't matter; the walk-off cost them everything. The committee called it a 3-0 forfeit.
It’s harsh for a team that believed they’d gone back-to-back. Niakhate, who started six out of seven games, is now focusing on Lyon’s European campaign. Still, that boardroom drama isn’t going away, not with the international break coming up. Senegal’s already planning to appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport.
