Futsal: Morocco, 6th in the world, opens its AFCON against Algeria on October 12 in Rabat

African futsal is heading to Rabat. The Africa Cup of Nations for the sport will be held from October 12 to 21, 2026, in the Moroccan capital, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex indoor arena and the Ibn Yassine hall, according to the Moroccan media outlet La Relève. The tournament will open with the match that will stir both nations: Morocco vs. Algeria, on Monday, October 12, 2026, at 8:00 PM.

Morocco chases a fourth consecutive title

The Atlas Lions of futsal arrive at this tournament with a rare status on the continent: three-time defending African champions, having won in 2016, 2020, and 2024, they are aiming for a fourth consecutive title. In the event of success, Morocco would become the sole record holder for African titles, moving ahead of Egypt and its three trophies, notes La Relève.

This dominance is not just a continental affair: the Moroccan national team occupies 6th place in the world rankings, a position that no other African nation comes close to in this discipline. Morocco is also hosting the competition for the third time in a row, and the tournament brings together eight teams divided into two groups of four, with the top two from each group advancing to the semi-finals.

Algeria discovers the final phase

Facing them is an opponent with nothing to lose. Algeria is competing in a Futsal AFCON final phase for the first time in its history, after securing its ticket with two victories against Guinea. Ranked 93rd globally, they approach this derby with a significant theoretical gap, but the history of Maghreb sports has shown that Morocco-Algeria matches are rarely decided on paper.

Futsal remains a sport in Africa that is still under development: there are few approved facilities, national championships are still young, and only a handful of federations are capable of fielding a competitive team. This is precisely what gives this AFCON its significance: it is one of the rare events where countries without a great tradition in the discipline, like Algeria, can measure themselves against a team established in the world elite.

To fill the arenas, the organizers have chosen affordable prices: tickets, sold exclusively on the Webook platform and its application, are set at 50 dirhams for the premium category and 30 dirhams for general public stands, according to La Relève.

Ten days of competition await the fans, with a winner to be crowned on October 21, 2026.