Moroccan King honours Atlas Lionesses after 2024 WAFCON silver

His Majesty King Mohammed VI has hosted the Moroccan women’s national team following their impressive silver medal finish at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) on home soil.

Despite leading 2-0 at halftime, the Atlas Lionesses were edged 3-2 by Nigeria in a dramatic final, finishing as runners-up for the second consecutive tournament.

The royal reception is seen as a significant endorsement of the country’s growing commitment to women’s football. Since 2019, Morocco has implemented a strategic plan to develop the women’s game, including national leagues, youth championships, financial and technical support for clubs, and the integration of women’s football into regional academies.

The progress is visible across all levels: the senior team reached the WAFCON finals in 2022 and 2024 and advanced to the Round of 16 in their World Cup debut in 2023. Youth teams have also qualified for successive U17 and U20 World Cups, while Morocco won the inaugural Women’s Futsal Africa Cup of Nations in 2025.

At club level, AS FAR and Sporting Club Casablanca have both reached CAF Women’s Champions League finals, making Morocco the first nation with two different clubs in the final of the continental competition.