AFCON
A Morning in the Medina: Marrakech After the Roar
By Kunle Solaja, Marrakech, enroute Casablanca.
The morning after Nigeria’s emphatic 2–0 dismissal of Algeria still hummed in my ears as the delegation of fellow journalists from across the world who are guests of the Moroccan National Association of Media and Publishers (ANME) was set to depart the famous red brick city.
We were bound for Casablanca, but a detour was suggested as a visit to Marrakech is deemed incomplete without going to the Medina, the local market.
The joy of the victory over Algeria was still visible on my face as everyone continued to congratulate me as if I orchestrated the Nigerian success. Anyway, victory has a way of sharpening the senses, and in Marrakech it felt as if the city itself was leaning in, eager to perform.
Before the road north beckoned, we slipped into the medina—an ancient heart that beats to a rhythm older than football and louder than any stadium.
The approach alone was an overture. Narrow alleys tightened like a funnel, then suddenly loosened into a living square where sound, colour and movement collided. Drums rattled, flutes sang, hawkers called, and somewhere beneath it all the city breathed—dusty, spicy, human. The medina is not visited; it is entered, and once inside, it takes charge.
We had planned to spend just 20 minutes. We did not realise we had spent over two hours before some of us started yelling ‘Yalla Yalla’, the Moroccan way of saying “let’s go!”
At the centre of the spectacle were the snake charmers. Cross-legged on worn rugs, they coaxed cobras from wicker baskets with a musician’s patience.
The snakes rose and swayed, glossy and alert, their movements choreographed to the reedy insistence of a traditional wind instrument made from a dried gourd.
A small ring of spectators formed and dissolved, coins clinked, cameras clicked, and the charmers’ eyes never left their serpents. It was ritual as much as performance, ancient theatre replayed for a modern audience.
Not far away, domesticated monkeys—tiny, nimble and eerily obedient are perched on shoulders or scamper across the stones at a tug of a string or a murmured command. Their owners guided them with practised ease, turning simple gestures into applause-worthy tricks.
Children laughed, adults smiled, and the monkeys bowed, as if they understood their role in the city’s daily drama.
Beyond the performers, the market revealed its careful order. The medina may feel chaotic, but it is meticulously segmented. One turn led into the spice souk, where pyramids of turmeric, paprika, cumin and saffron glowed like powdered sunsets.
The air was warm with pepper and clove, and vendors scooped, weighed and bargained with theatrical flair. Another alley opened into the leather quarter—rows of slippers, bags and belts in every shade imaginable, the scent unmistakable and earthy.
Further on, metalworkers hammered brass into lanterns and trays, sparks flashing as patterns bloomed under their hands. Carpets followed—thick, handwoven stories stacked floor to ceiling—then pottery, woodwork, jewellery, herbs, oils, and traditional garments, each craft claiming its own territory.
This is what the Marrakech medina is mainly known for: its souks—dense, specialised marketplaces where centuries-old crafts are still practised daily; its performers and storytellers who animate public squares; and its ability to compress Morocco’s cultural, commercial and artistic life into a walkable maze.
It is a living museum without walls, commerce without clocks, tradition without apology.
As we finally pulled away, heading for Casablanca, the noise softened behind us but the impressions lingered.
The Super Eagles’ triumph had given the journey a celebratory glow, yet the medina added something deeper, a reminder that travel, like football, is about immersion. You arrive with expectations, but you leave with stories, and Marrakech, generous as ever, had offered us many.
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Confederation of African Football president Patrice Motsepe has praised Morocco’s King Mohammed VI for what he described as a powerful gesture of unity and reconciliation following the royal pardon granted to Senegalese supporters convicted over offences linked to the final match of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.
In a statement released on Saturday, Motsepe expressed deep appreciation on behalf of CAF’s 54 member associations, hailing the Moroccan monarch’s decision as a demonstration of football’s ability to foster peace and solidarity across the continent.
“I would like to express our deep gratitude to His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist him, for granting His Royal Pardon to the Senegalese supporters convicted of offences relating to the final match of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025,” Motsepe stated.
The CAF president said the pardon reflected Morocco’s enduring commitment to African unity and highlighted football’s growing role as a bridge between nations and cultures.
“CAF has consistently emphasised its commitment to utilise football to contribute to uniting our people from different racial, ethnic and religious backgrounds,” he said.
“The pardon by His Majesty King Mohammed VI is an uplifting and motivating illustration of the power of football to unite and bring our people together in Africa and worldwide.”
Motsepe also revealed that during recent visits to both Morocco and Senegal, he had been struck by the deep historical and cultural bonds shared by the two countries.
“I was amazed and impressed when I was briefed about the historic and extensive ties between the people of Senegal and Morocco,” he added.
The statement further reinforced Morocco’s rising influence within African football, especially after successfully hosting the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and positioning itself as one of Africa’s leading football destinations ahead of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
Motsepe also extended CAF’s best wishes to Africa’s representatives at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, expressing confidence that the continent’s teams would perform strongly on the global stage.
Among the African nations mentioned were Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Ghana, South Africa, Côte d’Ivoire, Cape Verde and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.
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By Kunle Solaja.
Former African champions Algeria and Zambia are set for an early showdown after the release of the Group I fixtures for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers.
Algeria host Zambia on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, in what is expected to be one of the headline fixtures of the qualifying campaign, while Togo entertain Burundi in the group’s other opening tie.
The Desert Foxes are favourites to qualify, but Zambia’s growing consistency and Togo’s unpredictability could make the race highly competitive.
Algeria travel to Burundi on Matchday Two before facing Togo in back-to-back encounters across Matchdays Three and Four. Zambia also meet Burundi home and away during the same period.
The potentially decisive fixture comes on March 22, 2027, when Zambia host Algeria in a clash that could determine the final standings.
Group I Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Algeria vs Zambia
- Togo vs Burundi
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Zambia vs Togo
- Burundi vs Algeria
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Algeria vs Togo
- Zambia vs Burundi
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Togo vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Zambia
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Zambia vs Algeria
- Burundi vs Togo
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Togo vs Zambia
- Algeria vs Burundi
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By Kunle Solaja.
African heavyweights Senegal will launch their quest for another Africa Cup of Nations appearance with a home clash against Mozambique in Group J of the 2027 AFCON qualifiers.
The Lions of Teranga, among the continent’s strongest teams in recent years, headline a group that also includes Sudan and Ethiopia.
Senegal host Mozambique on Matchday One on September 21, 2026, while Sudan tackle Ethiopia in the other opening encounter.
Senegal are strong favourites to dominate the group, but Sudan and Mozambique are expected to battle fiercely for qualification points.
The key fixtures may emerge in the double-header between Senegal and Sudan across Matchdays Three and Four, while Mozambique and Ethiopia also face each other home and away.
Senegal travel to Mozambique on Matchday Five before ending their campaign at home against Ethiopia on March 30, 2027.
Group J Fixtures
Matchday 1 — September 21, 2026
- Senegal vs Mozambique
- Sudan vs Ethiopia
Matchday 2 — October 6, 2026
- Mozambique vs Sudan
- Ethiopia vs Senegal
Matchday 3 — October 2026
- Senegal vs Sudan
- Mozambique vs Ethiopia
Matchday 4 — November 17, 2026
- Sudan vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Mozambique
Matchday 5 — March 22, 2027
- Mozambique vs Senegal
- Ethiopia vs Sudan
Matchday 6 — March 30, 2027
- Sudan vs Mozambique
- Senegal vs Ethiopia
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