Senegal face Morocco in the final of the 2026 Africa Cup of Nations in Rabat tomorrow, as both teams look to win their second AfCON titles.
As hosts, Morocco will look to complete a golden period with a moment of crowning glory in front of a raucous home crowd at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat. They finished fourth at the World Cup in 2022 - the best-ever finish for an African team and have been the continent's best team since. Walid Regragui's team got to the final with a penalty shootout win over Nigeria in the semifinal after both teams failed to find the net over 120 minutes.
Senegal, on the other hand, are in their third AfCON final in the last four editions. They won their maiden tittle in 2021, when they beat Egypt on penalties in the final. It was the Egyptians that stood between Senegal and this final as well, but a superb Sadio Mané goal gave Senegal a 1-0 win.
For a second time in his career, Koulibaly is suspended for an AfCON final, having missed the summit clash against Egypt in 2021. Koulibaly injured himself in the semifinal against Egypt and may not have made it for the final anyway, but for Senegal to miss their captain in a final is a big blow. So too is missing Habib Diarra's industry and ability in midfield.
Mamadou Sarr came on for Koulibaly in the first half of the semifinal, and Lamine Camara replaced Diarra at half-time, as Pape Thiaw realised he couldn't afford for the Sunderland man to pick up another yellow card in a feisty encounter. Both Sarr and Camara gave good account of themselves in the semifinal, and Senegal will hope for that to continue in the final, but it is undeniably a blow to lose two unquestionable starters for a big final. Morocco's Azzeddine Ounahi was ruled out of the tournament with a calf injury early on, while both Romain Saïss and Sofyan Amrabat will play no part for the hosts.
Senegal have no real injury worries, but captain Kalidou Koulibaly and midfielder Habib Diarra are both suspended. Brahim Díaz and Achraf Hakimi vs Mané and El Hadji Malick Diouf promises to be a superb battle -- potentially match-defining and title-defining. Díaz is the leading goalscorer in the tournament, Hakimi the most recent African Player of the Year. But they haven't faced a sterner test in the competition yet.
What an occasion this is for Moroccan football. It's the culmination of a dream few years, but that will all count for nothing if they are unable to get over the line in this one. They certainly have the players, the manager and the vociferous crowd to make it a red-letter day in Moroccan football history.
With the World Cup being co-hosted by Morocco in 2030, this run under Regragui could well be the foundation for something even more spectacular. As for the here and now, there is nothing that can unite a nation like success. There have been question marks over the team and Regragui, whose relationship with the fans has also come under the spotlight.
Win that trophy on Sunday, and there's no more doubts against him. Not having the ball might suit Senegal, though. They've got pace and skill in forward areas.
The likes of Iliman Ndiaye, Nicolas Jackson and Mané could be a greater threat in a game where they are certain to have more space to run into, rather than the tight, cagey affair that the Egypt semifinal became. Mané may no longer be the explosive winger that he was in his Liverpool days, but his experience and ability to stand up in big moments make him vital for Senegal. Diouf has been outstanding all tournament, exemplified by his performance against Mohamed Salah in the semifinal against Egypt, where the West Ham United defender's aggression and eagerness to win the ball early stood out.
Once again, Morocco's build-up will be focused on Díaz's intelligent movement in the final third, and Hakimi's ability to carry the ball over large distances. That in turn diverts the opponent's midfield towards the right, allowing more space for the likes of Ismael Saibari to operate. Keeping Hakimi penned back is a good starting point for Senegal, and Mané's ability could be the trigger for that.
An intriguing tactical battle awaits!
