AFCON
Hassan II Mosque At AFCON 2025: Where Faith, Cultures and Continents Converge
By Kunle Solaja, Casablanca.
A visit to Casablanca is incomplete without standing before the awe-inspiring Hassan II Mosque, a monument that rises boldly from the edge of the Atlantic Ocean and blurs the boundaries between faiths, cultures and architectural traditions.
The free match days of the ongoing Africa Cup of Nations in Morocco offer an opportunity to visit the iconic structures which combine elements of education, culture and faith. According to the tour guide, Morocco, though an Islamic kingdom, is also tolerant of other faiths, as there are Jews in Morocco as well as Christians.
From a tourist’s perspective, the first striking feature is its location. Built partly over the Atlantic, the mosque appears to float above the sea, with waves rolling beneath its foundations. The constant murmur of the ocean lends the site a natural soundtrack, reinforcing the spiritual symbolism of water in Islamic tradition while creating a serene atmosphere for visitors.
The tolerance explains why Morocco seems to be galloping ahead of most modern states in terms of all-around development. Arabic and French are the official languages; English is also widely spoken in Morocco.
Tour guide, Marzouk Abdeltif, a retired university lecturer, explained that the kingdom has always been blessed with good leaders.
Standing with my tour guide, a retired university professor
The Hassan II Mosque was the brainchild of King Hassan II, who, while passing by the location, asked what the place was for. It was actually an abandoned public swimming pool by the ocean side. That was the origin of the religious, educational, and cultural project that also contributes meaningfully to the ever-growing economy of Morocco.
Thousands of tourists visit the place, irrespective of their faith and culture. For instance, a tourist pays 140 Moroccan Dirhams (MAD), which is about $15.
Dominating the skyline is the mosque’s minaret, which is reputed to be the tallest in the world at about 210 metres. It is visible from almost anywhere in Casablanca and serves as both a spiritual beacon and a geographical reference point.
At night, a laser beam from its summit points toward Mecca, blending modern technology with religious symbolism.
The imposing mosque is built partly on the Atlantic Ocean
Inside, the Hassan II Mosque reveals one of its most fascinating peculiarities. An architectural language that crosses cultural and religious divides. While firmly rooted in Islamic design, the interior carries an unmistakable cathedral-like outlook.
The vastness of the prayer hall, the soaring columns, the sense of vertical lift and the orchestration of light evoke elements commonly associated with great European cathedrals. This fusion creates a space that feels both familiar and universal, even to first-time visitors from non-Islamic backgrounds.
Moroccan craftsmanship remains at the heart of the design. Hand-carved cedarwood ceilings, intricate zellige tilework, sculpted plaster and polished marble reflect centuries-old artisan traditions.
Yet woven into these details are influences from other cultures, subtly incorporated through symmetry, spatial arrangement and decorative rhythm, giving the mosque a cosmopolitan identity befitting Morocco’s historical role as a crossroads between Africa, Europe and the Arab world.
Among its modern features is a retractable roof that opens to the sky, allowing sunlight and fresh air to flood the prayer hall within minutes. Heated marble floors and elaborately designed ablution areas further underline the mosque’s blend of comfort, innovation and reverence.
Unlike many mosques of its scale, the Hassan II Mosque is open to non-Muslim visitors through guided tours, reinforcing its role as both a religious sanctuary and a cultural bridge. Tourists walk its halls in quiet admiration, often struck by how seamlessly the building accommodates devotion, dialogue and discovery.
Inside the cathedral-like mosque
More than a landmark, the Hassan II Mosque is what Casablanca is best known for—a monument that unites tradition and modernity, Islam and global culture, the land and the sea. For visitors, it stands not just as a place of worship, but as a powerful symbol of coexistence, openness and architectural ambition on the Atlantic edge of Africa.
The mosque features 25 gates, 20 of which are for men, four for women and the central one is designated as the Royal Gate for the King. He can move straight to the front and pray behind the Imam. In a normal worship session, the mosque holds about 20,000 male worshipers, while another section is designated for the females and can hold 5,000 of them.
During Ramadan, the bowl of the vast cathedral-like mosque can accommodate slightly over half a million worshipers. It is forbidden for the Imam to make political preaching. According to the tour guide, the sermons are written.
The ladies in Morocco also dress freely, as King Hassan II was quoted to have remarked that worship is in the heart. Morocco practices Sunni Islam. The guide explains the symbolism of the Moroccan flag, which comprises a five-pointed outlined green star over a red background.
The red background symbolises power. The green of the star indicates peace and freedom. The five-sided star, which closely resembles the Seal of Solomon, is explained as indicating the five tenets of Islam – symbolising the strong bond between God and the nation, peace, hope, and the five pillars of Islam (faith, prayer, charity, fasting, pilgrimage).
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The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has officially opened the bidding process for countries interested in hosting the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) in 2028, 2032 and 2036, with several member associations already submitting proposals.
CAF President Dr Patrice Motsepe disclosed that the bidding exercise is progressing smoothly and described the level of interest from prospective hosts as encouraging.
“The bidding process is progressing very well, and numerous exciting bids have been submitted by potential host countries,” CAF said, adding that announcements on successful hosts will be made in due course.
Meanwhile, CAF confirmed that its 48th Ordinary General Assembly will be held in Abuja, Nigeria, on November 21, 2026.
The continental governing body expressed appreciation to the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) for their cooperation in preparations for the event.
CAF said the General Assembly is expected to attract football leaders from across the continent and will play a significant role in shaping policies aimed at accelerating the development and growth of African football.
The organisation added that the Abuja gathering is expected to be one of its most significant assemblies in recent years as CAF continues implementing reforms across competitions, infrastructure development, youth football and governance.
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By Kunle Solaja
Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso have taken the first step towards jointly hosting the 2032 Africa Cup of Nations after submitting an expression of interest to the Confederation of African Football (CAF).
The Nigerien Football Federation announced that CAF had accepted the joint declaration submitted by the three West African nations, marking the opening phase of the bidding process.
However, the acceptance of the expression of interest does not amount to an award of the hosting rights, as the countries must still undergo CAF’s comprehensive evaluation process before a final decision is made.
The three football federations unveiled their joint project following a meeting with CAF President Patrice Motsepe in the United States during the closing stages of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The proposed bid brings together the three members of the Alliance of Sahel States, reflecting their ambition to co-host one of Africa’s biggest sporting events and strengthen regional cooperation through football.
Earlier this month, CAF officially opened the bidding process for the 2028, 2032 and 2036 editions of the Africa Cup of Nations, inviting all 54 member associations to submit expressions of interest. The continental governing body said all bids would be assessed based on strict technical, financial and legal criteria.
As the next stage of the process, Niger, Mali and Burkina Faso must prepare a comprehensive bid dossier outlining the proposed host cities, stadiums, training facilities, transport infrastructure, accommodation capacity and security arrangements.
CAF has yet to announce the timetable for selecting the 2032 host nation(s) or reveal the full list of countries expected to compete for the hosting rights.
Should the joint bid eventually succeed, the tournament would return to Mali for the first time since it staged the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations. It would also mark a historic first for both Niger and Burkina Faso, neither of which has previously hosted the continent’s flagship football championship.
The bid underscores the growing trend of joint hosting arrangements for major football tournaments, allowing neighbouring countries to pool infrastructure and resources while expanding the reach of the competition across multiple nations.
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BY KUNLE SOLAJA, Brooklyn, NY
A document circulating widely on social media claiming that the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) has stripped Morocco of its 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title and declared Senegal champions appears to be fabricated, with official CAS records showing no evidence that a final ruling has been issued.
The claim emerged months after the Senegalese Football Federation appealed a decision by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) to award Morocco a 3-0 victory in the controversial AFCON final. While Senegal’s appeal is genuine, the latest official information indicates that the case remains unresolved.
One of the clearest indications that the viral document is not authentic is its case number. The circulating image bears the reference CAS 2026/A/10857, whereas CAS officially confirmed that Senegal’s appeal was registered under CAS 2026/A/12295. Such a discrepancy would not be expected in a genuine final award.
The document also incorrectly identifies the dispute as being solely between the Senegalese Football Federation and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. CAS has officially stated that the appeal was lodged against both CAF and the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, since the challenged decision originated from CAF’s Appeals Board.
The purported ruling further claims that CAS issued its verdict on June 10, 2026, accepting Senegal’s appeal, overturning CAF’s decision and restoring the result achieved on the field, effectively awarding the continental title to Senegal.
However, a review of CAS’s official communications reveals no statement, judgment or announcement issued on that date regarding the AFCON final dispute.
The latest public update from CAS remains the statement released on March 25, 2026, in which the court confirmed only that Senegal’s appeal had been registered and that an arbitration panel had been appointed. CAS also stated that it was too early to determine a hearing date or indicate when a final decision might be delivered.
In the same communication, CAS disclosed that Senegal had requested an extension to file its appeal brief until it received the full written reasons behind CAF’s ruling. The court also reiterated that arbitration proceedings remain confidential while ongoing.
That timeline directly contradicts the claims contained in the viral document.
Further doubts about the document’s authenticity stem from the fact that it does not appear in CAS’s official database of published decisions. The image circulating online also excludes CAF from the list of respondents and exists only as a low-quality graphic featuring signatures, stamps and an Arabic translation without any verifiable official source.
CAS typically publishes non-confidential rulings through its official database or recent decisions section. No ruling relating to the AFCON final dispute has been published.
Until CAS announces otherwise, CAF’s Appeals Board decision remains the only valid and enforceable ruling in the matter.
On March 17, 2026, CAF’s Appeals Board ruled that Senegal had forfeited the AFCON final after its players left the field during the match. Invoking Articles 82 and 84 of the competition regulations, the board awarded Morocco a 3-0 victory, overturned an earlier disciplinary decision and upheld Morocco’s protest.
Senegal subsequently challenged that ruling before CAS, but the appeal has yet to produce a publicly announced outcome.
As things stand, there is no official evidence that CAS has revoked Morocco’s AFCON 2025 title or declared Senegal champions. Unless and until the Lausanne-based court issues a formal decision, CAF’s ruling remains in force, making the viral document misleading and highly likely to be fake.
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