Africa plus magazine

Tomorrow, the heart of Africa will beat in Morocco’s capital as the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat hosts the spectacular opening ceremony of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations. 

The arena, with a capacity of nearly 69,500 spectators, will be a sea of color, energy, and national pride as it welcomes a global audience to this historic winter edition of the continent’s premier football tournament. 

The ceremony, set to kick off a celebration that will last until January 18, 2026, is poised to be a dazzling fusion of music, light, and cultural performance, symbolizing Morocco’s return as host after more than three decades and its readiness to stage a world-class event.

The ceremony will feature a stellar lineup of artists, aiming for pan-African appeal and international glamour. The main performances are led by two global superstars.

Davido, a Nigerian Afrobeats megastar and one of Africa’s most prominent musical exports, will be one of the headliners. With numerous international hits and awards, his performance is expected to deliver anthemic energy and set the celebratory tone for the entire tournament.

French Montana, a Morocco-born American acclaimed rapper, will also take the stage. His headline role adds a special layer of symbolism, representing a bridge between the host nation’s heritage and global pop culture.

They will be joined by a diverse supporting cast of artists, including the Moroccan pop singer Douaa Lahyaoui and other acts like Says’z and Lartiste, to create a blend of Afrobeats, hip-hop, and North African pop.

The ceremony will reach its climax with the official tournament opening. The mascot “ASSAD” – a proud Barbary lion representing strength and heritage – will make a grand appearance. 

Following this, the focus will shift squarely to the football, as the opening ceremony concludes to make way for the first whistle. Host nation Morocco, the overwhelming tournament favourite riding a world-record winning streak, will step onto the pitch to face Comoros, marking the official start of a month-long quest for continental glory.