Fan zones: AFCON is also played outside

Morocco has not merely prepared an Africa Cup of Nations; it has designed a moment, an experience, a country in celebration. Because beyond the 9 stadiums and the 24 national teams, it is an entire nation that is getting into formation to vibrate in unison.

With eight fan zones* spread across 7 cities, the Kingdom is making a clear bet: bringing AFCON down to the streets, and offering supporters – from here, from Africa and beyond -places where fervor is not told, it is lived.

The map of emotions
Everywhere, fan zones have been designed as “centers of life”, not as simple screens planted in a setting. In Casablanca, Espace Toro, facing the Atlantic, and Espace Météo play the role of locomotives.

Rabat is banking on two sites: the OLM Souissi esplanade, already accustomed to major events, and Bab El Mrissa (Salé). Marrakech goes even bigger: the mythical Bab Jdid square, a nod to the cosmopolitan DNA of the ochre city.

In Agadir, the Marina serves as the festive backdrop. Tangier brings its people together in the gardens of Villa Harris, and Fez prefers the elegant calm of its Botanical Garden.

But this year, AFCON is innovating with official Fan Parks, true hubs of celebration where football blends with culture and entertainment. These were conceived as real centers of festivity, offering supporters an experience that is both rich and interactive.

At the heart of each space, a main stage will make it possible to follow AFCON 2025 matches live while enjoying concerts and live performances, thus creating a festive and dynamic atmosphere throughout the day.

Opening hours have been designed to adapt to the match schedule. Fan Parks will open their doors as early as 11 a.m. for matches scheduled at 1:30 p.m., while for matches planned at 5 p.m., access will be possible from 12 p.m., allowing supporters to fully enjoy the day before kickoff.

In addition to match broadcasts, Fan Parks offer a variety of activities intended to entertain and engage visitors.

Football enthusiasts will be able to take part in juggling contests, test their accuracy during penalty shootout sessions, take on dribbling challenges on timed courses, or put their knowledge to the test through quizzes dedicated to the history of AFCON, its iconic players, and its most memorable moments.

This combination of sport, culture and entertainment makes Fan Parks places where the passion for football is fully experienced, beyond the simple match.

Music of the continent
AFCON 2025 has also put music in the spotlight, with an exceptional artistic program designed to celebrate both African unity and the vibrant energy of the continent. Each fan zone will thus be a place where football blends with culture, transforming public spaces into true living festivals.

Morocco will welcome emblematic artists on its stages, such as French Montana, Dystinct, La Fouine, Lartiste, Hoba Hoba Spirit, Tchubi, Manal, Jaylann, Nass El Ghiwane, Oudaden, Hamid El Kasri, Rafie, Rym, Douaa Lahyaoui, Zeyn and Mouhcine Nachet, reflecting the richness and diversity of the national music scene.

Nigeria will be represented by international stars such as Davido, Joeboy and Odumodublvck, while the DR Congo will make the crowd vibrate with Gims and Awilo Longomba.

Other countries will also bring their musical touch: Dj Moh Green (Algeria), Jenjoon (Tunisia), Sharmoofers (Egypt), Didi B (Côte d’Ivoire), Mokoonba (Zimbabwe), Says’z (Comoros), Xtime & Ghix (Benin), Jay Trigga & Ari (Zambia), Soulja (Sudan), Kocee (Cameron), Stonebwoy (Ghana), Sidiki Diabaté (Mali), Musa Keys (South Africa), Lioness Ratang (Botswana), Kocee (Cameroon), VJ (Senegal), Tofa Jaxx (Tanzania), Emma’a (Gabon), Joshua Baraka (Uganda) and Kayawoto (Burkina Faso).

Thanks to this artistic diversity, each fan zone is transformed into a full-fledged cultural festival, where music and football respond to one another to create a festive and immersive atmosphere throughout the day.

A celebratory AFCON
Behind the scenes, the machinery is calibrated to the millimeter. CAF has entrusted the selected agency with the design, production and operation of all these spaces. Giant screens, lighting, sound systems, signage, restrooms, security: everything must meet the specifications of an event the governing body wants to be “dynamic, secure and immersive”.

The FAN ID, generated via the YALLA application, centralizes tickets, e-Visa and accreditations, designed to streamline flows and reassure an organization expecting crowds from Morocco, the continent and the diaspora.

The ambition goes beyond the strictly sporting field. In the Moroccan vision, AFCON 2025 must become a continental celebration, a moment of sharing where Africanness is embodied as much in the street as on the pitch.

Caravans traveling through rural municipalities, the West African tour linking Cotonou to Rabat, the involvement of foreign students, the mobilization of the diaspora: everything contributes to making the event a space of encounters and blended identities.

At a time when football sometimes gets lost in gigantism and business, Morocco is making a different choice: that of inclusion.

Free, open, popular fan zones, an assumed occupation of public space, and a desire to make cities vibrate as much as stadiums. If the promise is kept, AFCON 2025 could become one of the most memorable editions of recent years: a collective celebration, a moment of social mixing, a cultural journey as much as a tournament.

One city, a thousand screens

Alongside the official setup, several private and partnership initiatives are enriching the supporters’ experience.

In Casablanca, inwi has set up dedicated spaces, while Orange has invested in the community sector through solidarity fan zones established within local structures. Even transit areas have been integrated into this dynamic: ONDA has set up mini fan zones in airports, allowing travelers not to miss any of the matches.

To these official fan zones is added a dense network of private fan zones, distributed across strategic locations, such as Anfa Beach, the Morocco Mall, the Vélodrome, Sacré-Cœur, the Arab League, the Hippodrome, the Fan Village Anfa Parc, the boulevard of the Grand Théâtre CFC, the Al Amal Complex, Al Fida-Bouchentouf, Espace Zellaqa or the Sbata park. An additional fan zone is also planned in Mohammédia.