As AFCON unfolds in Morocco, influencers from around the world are documenting their experiences beyond the pitch, highlighting the Kingdom's culture, cities, and warm hospitality. Their largely positive content is turning the tournament into a powerful soft-power moment for Morocco. DR ‹ › The Africa Cup of Nations, currently being held in Morocco for its 35th edition, goes far beyond what happens on the pitch. It is a continental gathering, bringing together fans from across Africa and beyond in a shared celebration of football, travel, and culture. For Morocco, AFCON also carries a more strategic dimension. Hosting the tournament offers the Kingdom a unique platform to highlight its culture, modern infrastructure, and tourism appeal to an international audience, turning the competition into a powerful soft-power showcase that extends well beyond sport. Since the start of this AFCON edition, Morocco's six host cities have welcomed visitors from around the world, including social media influencers with millions of followers. Through vlogs, reels, and stories, they have been documenting their experiences beyond football, from stadium atmospheres and transport infrastructure to the buzz of souks, historic landmarks, street food, and, above all, the warm hospitality of the Moroccan people. Here is a selection of 9 influencers currently in Morocco during AFCON, sharing overwhelmingly positive glimpses of their stay in the Kingdom : Saudi Arabia All the way from Saudi Arabia, influencer Khalid Alolayan traveled to Morocco to attend AFCON. Boasting 11.6 million followers on TikTok and 2.2 million on Instagram, Alolayan began documenting his journey even before landing. After attending the Morocco–Comoros match and staying in Rabat, the travel- and football-focused creator shared his impressions of Morocco's greenery, the unique architecture of Rabat's old medina, and the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium. Despite rainy days, his enthusiasm never faded, promising followers a future trip to Ifrane, «the Switzerland of Morocco» to experience the snow. Algeria «Khawa khawa» is the phrase that echoes throughout Algerian influencer Hichem.dn's first vlog in Morocco. One of many Algerian content creators attending this AFCON edition, Hichem shared his journey with his 3 million Instagram followers, starting in Casablanca before heading to Rabat for Algeria's opening match. From wandering through the medina and Bab Marrakech to enjoying tagine, grilled fish, and street food, his videos capture everyday moments, and warm encounters. «We are brothers», passersby told him during a walk through the city, as they shared their predictions for a possible Morocco–Algeria final. Tunisia From Tunisia, content creator Fahmi Selmi is thoroughly enjoying his stay in Morocco. While in the Kingdom to support his national team, the Eagles of Carthage, he is also here for the food and the hospitality. During a stroll through Rabat, proudly waving the Tunisian flag, Selmi was welcomed the Moroccan way, with hugs and warm embraces from passersby repeating «Marhba bik». Boasting 204,000 followers on Instagram, the influencer is also using his trip to challenge Moroccans on their love of harissa and spicy food. One of his most memorable moments took place at a street food stall in Salé, where, impressed by the hospitality, the vendor refused to charge him. «Tunisia, Algeria, and Morocco are brothers», Selmi said after stumbling upon a shop selling the national team jerseys of all three countries. Egypt Traveling from Egypt to support the Pharaohs, an Egyptian eye surgeon and influencer Ali Ghozlane arrived in Morocco a week before the tournament. With 4.1 million followers, he didn't just document his trip, he turned it into a guide for fellow fans. Speaking solid Darija, he even taught his followers how to tell taxi drivers they want to go to the stadium, how to order food at a restaurant, and how to look for accommodation, Moroccan style. In a gesture of solidarity, Ghozlane even discovered the Atlas Mountains, where he watched the opening match with locals, bringing a big screen so they could all share the moment together. He also shared snippets from the Oudayas in Rabat, captioning one post: «Under the spell of Moroccan architectural charm». Senegal In Tangier, Senegalese reel creator Pape Seck was visibly impressed by the street fervor as the Lions of Teranga played their first group-stage match. «Senegal and Morocco are brothers», he declared, sharing with his 500,000 followers the shared celebrations between Senegalese fans and Moroccans in Bab Bera, complete with acrobat shows, chants, and spontaneous dancing. From the stands of the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, Pape didn't hesitate: «It's the most beautiful stadium in Africa». During his stay in Morocco, the influencer even the Moroccan fan dancing with Senegalese supporters, who quickly went viral among Senegalese social media users. Also from Senegal, digital creator Cheiikh Footstyle has clearly fallen in love with Fez. Following his national team from Tangier to Fez, he couldn't hide his amazement at Morocco's transport network, hopping on the high-speed train to Kenitra before continuing on to Fez. In Fez, he entered the medina through its emblematic, centuries-old Bab Boujloud gate, discovering a world unlike anything he had seen before. «I thought I knew Morocco, but Fez is a different world», he captioned a video shared with his more than 500,000 Instagram followers. His visit turned into a deep dive into the city's craftsmanship, leather goods, silverwork, and traditional attire, before stopping at the Attarine Madrasa and the Zaouia Tijania, a site of particular significance for Senegalese visitors. «We come to watch games and end up leaving with history», he said at the end of his tour. Nigeria From Nigeria, YouTuber Menapolee decided to make the most of his AFCON trip by going beyond football. Curious to explore what he called «the coldest part of Africa», he headed to Ifrane, often dubbed Morocco's Switzerland. In his video, he shared his excitement at seeing snow in Africa, praising Ifrane's unique architecture and its European winter atmosphere. In another video shared with his nearly 60,000 followers, Menapolee documented his journey to Rabat aboard Al Boraq, Morocco's high-speed train, arriving at the newly inaugurated Agdal train station, clearly impressed by the experience. Côte d'Ivoire From Côte d'Ivoire, influencer Jonathan JDR is discovering Marrakech, where his national team is playing it's group phase matches. Marrakech is «incredible», he described. Cycling through the medina «the Marrakchi way», he shared scenes of local life with his nearly 90,000 followers. A msemen break in the souks, a ride offered by a stranger after asking for directions, that's Moroccan hospitality, he summed up. Brazil A footballer and streamer of Brazilian and Lebanese origin Iman Ali Dib is also sharing her AFCON journey in Morocco with 1.9 million followers. She started her stay with a vibrant singing battle with Marrakchi tkitikat and a street performance blending Brazilian rhythms. Her trip took her from Rabat to Marrakech and Agadir, enjoying culture, nightlife and the food, as she joked, «first things first: Moroccan tea». Article modifié le 24/12/2025 à 20h28
