Rabat is bracing for one of its busiest weekends in years as tens of thousands of fans converge on the capital for Sunday’s Africa Cup of Nations final between Morocco and Senegal, pushing tickets, hotels, transport and even café prices to an exceptional surge.
The final of the Africa Cup of Nations 2025 will be played on Sunday 18 January at 20:00 local time at Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, with both teams chasing a second continental title. Senegal last won the tournament in 2021. Morocco are bidding to lift the trophy for the first time since 1970, a 55-year wait that has intensified domestic and diaspora interest.
Tickets sold out and resale prices soaring
Official ticket sales for the final have been sold out for days, with no additional releases announced. Fans have repeatedly attempted to secure seats through the official platform, mirroring last-minute drops seen earlier in the tournament, but without success.
The shortage has fuelled a resale market despite warnings from authorities. Police said 110 people were arrested on 31 December for offences including illegal ticket sales, forgery, fraud and the dissemination of false information linked to the tournament.
Even so, online listings this week showed category three tickets offered for around €1,000, with some premium seats exceeding €3,000, compared with official prices capped at a few hundred dirhams.
Hotels near capacity as diaspora travel surges
Hotels.com reported a 50% increase in hotel searches for Rabat on its French site following Morocco’s qualification for the semi-finals, with demand focused on immediate stays covering the final stages of the tournament.
“This sudden rise in day-to-day searches shows there are likely many Morocco supporters in France ready to travel at the last minute to support their team on site and enjoy the festive atmosphere,” said Xavier Rousselou, a spokesperson for Hotels.com.
Tourism operators estimate that Rabat has already absorbed more than 150,000 additional visitors since the start of the tournament.
Classified hotels in the city have been operating at around 95% occupancy, with many central properties fully booked for the final weekend and demand spilling over into Salé and Kénitra.
Transport and infrastructure under event pressure
The scale of the weekend has triggered exceptional transport arrangements. Rail operator ONCF deployed special services, including reinforced high-speed Al Boraq links on the Casablanca–Rabat axis.
The opening of Rabat Riad station has shortened access times to the stadium area, while tram and bus networks introduced AFCON-specific passes valid through 18 January.
Security and crowd management have also been stepped up, with authorities having rolled out an integrated security plan around Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium and key urban zones.
Street-level economy heats up
The tournament has also reshaped everyday commerce with Cafés in Rabat having extended opening hours and filled up for match screenings, though consumer groups report sharp price increases during Morocco’s run.
In parts of the capital, coffee prices rose from around 10 dirhams to 22–25 dirhams, with some cities seeing increases of up to 150%, prompting inspections and calls for price transparency.
Restaurants, fan zones and public screening areas have also reported sustained crowds throughout the knockout phase, reinforcing Rabat’s status as the tournament’s social and cultural centre.
As a Moroccan citizen I am satisfied with the approach that our country succeeds in organizing that sublime event of African cup with serious preparation by building infra structure ground roads trains stations hotels stadiums at the high level this is enough for us
Whatever could happen the résulte the end will be fine either Moroccan team win the cup or our brothers Senigalais team win it will be the same for us