AFCON
How Moumen Travel in Casablanca Powered Fan and Media Movement at AFCON 2025
By Kunle Solaja, who was in Morocco
As Morocco played host to the recently concluded Africa Cup of Nations, one Casablanca-based agency quietly became a backbone of the tournament’s massive human traffic. Moumen Travel, led by CEO Houda El Kinani, was at the heart of travel, accommodation and mobility arrangements for hundreds of fans, media professionals and supporters who flooded Morocco for Africa’s biggest football showpiece.
With supporters arriving from Senegal, Côte d’Ivoire, and Burkina Faso, Moumen Travel managed logistics for nearly 1,000 visitors during the month-long tournament. The assignments covered hotel bookings across multiple host cities, coordinated local transportation, airport transfers, stadium access, and the procurement of match tickets, tasks that demanded precision, speed and local expertise.
“The Africa Cup of Nations brought an incredible wave of visitors into Morocco,” El Kinani told Sports Village Square. “Our role was to ensure that from the moment the visitors landed to the moment they departed, their experience was smooth, safe and memorable.
“We wanted them to have good memories of Morocco and for them to know that Morocco has more to offer than just football.”
“We create tailor-made itineraries to suit desires and budget”, says Houda El Kinani
Operating across Morocco’s AFCON host cities, Moumen Travel coordinated shuttle services between match venues, hotels and cultural and historical sites, while also arranging excursions that allowed visitors to explore the country beyond football, historic medinas, coastal towns and cultural landmarks.
According to El Kinani, “every traveller is unique, which is why we create tailor-made itineraries to suit desires and budget. Whether you’re looking for a romantic getaway or a family adventure, we design experiences that reflect who you are and what you want.”
Beyond AFCON 2025, Moumen Travel’s clients enjoyed the opportunity to explore Morocco’s rich tourist attractions and experience the beauty of the kingdom.
Founded in 2012 and managed by El Kinani since 2017, Moumen Travel has built strong roots in West Africa, particularly in Senegal, where it began by organising religious pilgrimages to Fez for followers of the Tijaniyya Sufi order, before expanding into leisure tourism and major sporting events.
El Kinani says that her outfit is looking forward to assisting the teams, fans, media men and other tourists during the upcoming Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which will also be held in Morocco in March and April.
Her background in marketing, communication and film production, she says, prepared her for the pressures of AFCON logistics.
Her professional journey includes leadership at Moumen Travel, where she directed operations and cultivated strong client relationships. She had also been involved in film production.
These roles reflect her ability to move seamlessly between organisational leadership and artistic collaboration.
Beyond her career, Houda is deeply rooted in Moroccan culture and values. She is passionate about fostering cross-cultural connections, a trait shaped by her years abroad in France. Friends and colleagues often describe her as warm, approachable, and family-oriented, with a strong sense of community.
While she keeps her private life discreet, it’s clear that her family ties and cultural heritage play an important role in shaping her outlook and professional ethos.
“Managing productions taught me how to handle people, pressure and unexpected problems. AFCON was like a live production—only on a continental scale.”
As fans departed Morocco in organised batches after the final, Moumen Travel once again handled outbound logistics, bringing its AFCON operation to a successful close—one that reinforced Morocco’s growing reputation as a world-class host and the agency’s standing as a trusted sports tourism partner.
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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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