Morocco’s Youth Unrest Threatens AFCON 2025, CAF Chief Remains Defiant

Since September 27, the online group "GenZ 212" has been organizing demonstrations in many cities. The demands of this movement mainly concern issues of education, health, employment - youth unemployment reached 36.7% in 2024, with 492,000 young people aged 15 to 24 without a job - and social justice.

The death at the public hospital in Agadir of eight pregnant women admitted for cesarean sections is at the origin of the triggering of these social protests. The unrest has resulted in 3 deaths and 400 injuries across the country. Isolated incidents of looting and arson have been reported in some cities. These disturbances are the most important since the Arab Spring demonstrations of 2011, which prompted King Mohammed VI to delegate certain powers to Parliament. They are also the most violent since the 2016 demonstrations in the Rif region. "GenZ 212" has seen its subscribers increase from 3,000 to 188,000 in just one week on Discord, the platform that launched the movement.

Despite these major demonstrations against the Moroccan government, the president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, says he is "confident" about the holding of the 2025 AFCON in Morocco. "We are absolutely convinced that the AFCON will take place as planned. Morocco is Plan A, Morocco is Plan B and Morocco is Plan C," he assured on the sidelines of the 47th ordinary general assembly of CAF in Kinshasa (DRC). He adds: "CAF will cooperate and work with the Moroccan government and all Moroccan citizens to organize the most successful AFCON in history." A total of 24 teams will participate in the tournament, with nine stadiums hosting matches in six cities.