Morocco is facing Zambia on Monday at 20:00 in their third group match of Group A at the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) Morocco 2025.
This is going to be the fourth Africa Cup of Nations meeting between Zambia and Morocco, according to CAF online.
It will also be Zambia’s fifth AFCON match against a host nation, with all four previous meetings producing a winner and Zambia scoring in each of them.
In every AFCON tournament where Zambia faced a host nation, one of the two teams went on to reach the final. Zambia finished as runners-up in 1974, Ghana won the cup in 1978, Libya was the runner-up in 1982, and Zambia claimed the title in 2012.
Zambia ended the tournament on the podium in three of those four meetings with AFOCN hosts, winning the title in 2012, finishing second in 1974, and taking third place in 1982.
But they have been eliminated at the group stage in their last three AFCON appearances in 2013, 2015, and 2023.
In total, Morocco and Zambia have faced each other 22 times, with Morocco claiming 14 wins, Zambia six, and two matches finishing in a draw.
The Atlas Lions have won the last five encounters with Zambia and have lost only once in their last 12 matches against them.
The most recent clash between the teams was last September 2025 in a 2026 FIFA World Cup qualifier, when Morocco secured a 2–0 victory in Ndola, a city in Zambia. The Atlas Lions later booked their place at the World Cup ahead of Zambia.
Zambians are still looking for their first win at AFCON 2025 after drawing their opening matches against Mali and Comoros, with their last win at the tournament coming in the 2012 semi-final against Ghana.
In their match against Comoros, Zambia attempted 10 shots without hitting the target.
Midfielder Kings Kangwa of Israeli Premier League club Hapoel Be’er Sheva completed a team-high 72 passes, while the team contested 21 aerial duels, winning just 38%.
Zambian national head coach Moses Sichone said Zambia cannot wait for other results and must secure qualification by winning their match against Morocco.
Speaking at a pre-match press conference on Sunday, Sichone added that his staff has closely studied Morocco’s games.
He noted that Zambia’s squad includes young players experiencing their first continental tournament, who can transition quickly from defense to attack, and emphasized that tactical discipline and fighting spirit will be key to success.
Morocco coach Walid Regragui said his team is focused on securing a win against Zambia and staying based in Rabat for the knockout rounds.
He also confirmed that Captain Achraf Hakimi will feature against Zambia after recovering from an injury that had sidelined him for several weeks.
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