Patrice Motsepe, President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), is scheduled to land in Rabat, Morocco, on Thursday for the opening of the Seventh Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, to be hosted by the Kingdom from April 11-21, according to a statement issued by the Confederation yesterday.
The President will set off on a tour across Africa on Monday, visiting São Tomé and Príncipe, Equatorial Guinea, and Guinea-Bissau. He will be meeting various African heads-of-state–as well as football and sports leaders–before visiting Morocco, the statement reported.
Eight African teams have been grouped into two divisions for this edition, following last month’s draw at the Mohammed VI Football Complex. Morocco’s Atlas Lions have been placed in Group A along with Angola, Ghana, and Zambia, while Group B features Egypt, Libya, Namibia, and Mauritania.
The continental championship taking place in the capital’s Prince Moulay Abdellah and Ibn Yassine Sports Complexes will also serve as a qualifier for the 2024 FIFA Futsal World Cup in Uzbekistan, with 24 teams competing.
This marks Morocco’s second occasion hosting the African Championship, following its successful hosting in Laayoune in 2020, in which the Moroccan team claimed victory. It previously won the title in 2016.