Doha never really sleeps, but the streets of Qatar’s capital were even busier than usual on Monday night. The horns and songs in praise of the Morocco selection continued to resonate in the sky, at around two in the morning, after the victory of the Atlas Lions against the United Arab Emirates in the semi-final of the Arab Cup (3-0). This Thursday (5 p.m.), coach Tarik Sektioui’s men have the opportunity to maintain this very visible popular jubilation on site during the final played against Jordan at the Lusail stadium. Thirteen years after its one and only coronation in this competition, Morocco hopes to win the bet a second time and continue the crazy dynamic of the country which has become a reference on the football planet.
“Our strength is humility, discipline and love of country. We have a great desire to honor all Moroccans,” explains Sektioui. As they prepare to host the African Cup of Nations from Sunday, a tournament in which they are the big favorites, the Atlas Lions want to establish their domination and send a first strong message before their big meeting.
The performance of the Moroccans during this Arab Cup is all the more appreciated as it is achieved by a group made up mainly of players playing in the local championship. None of the 26 players present in Qatar will play in the next CAN since Walid Regragui’s team is currently in full preparation before its debut against the Comoros on Sunday.
This excellent performance in any case confirms the very good health of Moroccan football which continues to produce remarkable performances. Semi-finalist of the 2022 World Cup, Achraf Hakimi’s selection is currently on a series of 18 consecutive victories, a world record. Results which were reflected in the different age categories with a bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, a world title among the under-20s in October and a quarter-finalist place at the U17 World Cup played last month… in Qatar. The presence of Moroccan coach Jamal Sellami on Jordan’s bench this Thursday evening is further proof of local know-how.
1.1 million tickets sold
On site, this final in any case arouses a certain expectation among Moroccan fans who are expected to massively fill the 88,000-seat enclosure, the scene of the 2022 World Cup final between France and Argentina played three years ago to the day. The organizers are confident of being able to fill the stands of the Lusail stadium and achieve an exceptional attendance for this last match of the massively followed Arab Cup.
With 1.1 million tickets sold before the last two matches (including 300,000 abroad) and an average of 35,000 spectators per match, the competition was able to attract its audience. Three years after the World Cup, Qatar believes it has fully benefited from this legacy.
“The culture has developed in Qatar and it is 100% the legacy of the World Cup,” explains Jassim Al Jassim, chairman of the organizing committee for football events in Qatar. We have the stadiums, the infrastructure and, most importantly, we have the know-how and experience. We didn’t have such a big audience before the World Cup. Those who were there during the World Cup want to relive that. And those who didn’t attend want to have that experience. So we are building on this to move forward and hope to break our record at the next Arab Cup in 2029.”
Keep reading
