Excited red-and-green clad fans were making their way to the stadium hours before kickoff as Morocco prepares to open the 35th Africa Cup of Nations on Sunday.
The party started the night before with a parade of fans through the capital city, Rabat.
The Atlas Lions, as the home team is known, are among the favorites to lift what would be just their second Africa Cup title 50 years after their only success in 1976. The final is Jan. 19 next year.
They begin their campaign against island nation Comoros, a team ranked 108th in the world and making just its second appearance in the competition.
“It’s a superb match, an extraordinary occasion to get to know our team, our country,” Comoros coach Stefano Cusin said. “It’s going to be a great evening of football.”
No host has lost the opening match of the tournament since Burkina Faso in 1998.
Morocco is
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