African Rugby Roars Back: Morocco’s National Team Has Officially Qualified for the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup After Four Years in the Wilderness
The Moroccan national rugby team has officially qualified for the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup, set to take place in Kampala, Uganda. This marks Morocco’s return to the continental stage after a four-year absence.
Morocco was able to snake their way into the tournament by defeating Tunisia 26-12 during the repechage final that was held at Pere Jego Stadium in Casablanca on Sunday. This tournament serves as a last chance playoff for teams that have not made the cut in the earlier rounds of the tournament.
Morocco started off strongly and ended the first half of the match with an early 14-12 lead. They were able to capitalize on their early lead in the second half and further extend the match to secure their success and qualification for the Uganda tournament.
Road to Qualification
Morocco competed in Group B, where they dominated Botswana with a commanding 64-0 victory. In the group final, they faced Madagascar, securing a 53-37 win to advance to the decisive repechage final against Tunisia.
“The stadium was full—it was incredible. We did our job in Group B, and now Morocco is among the top teams in Pool A. It’s a dream come true. We’ve worked hard for this, and we are proud to represent our country. There are a lot of young players coming in, and we are ready for the challenge.” Belal Khoulani, a midfielder/defender for the Moroccan team, spoke to the Moroccan national TV channel 2M, sharing his excitement after the game.
The Royal Moroccan Rugby Federation experienced significant challenges in rebuilding the national rugby team after a four-year absence with many difficulties encountered in the rebuilding of Morocco against the top rugby nations of Africa. Hicham Oubaja, the President of the Federation stated pride in the team’s achievement by thanking the team for their hard work and dedication to the rebuilding of the team to a better state. “We have returned to the first group qualifying for the World Cup, and our rightful place is among the top eight African teams. It wasn’t easy to rebuild the team after a four-year absence, but the players showed great determination to wear the national jersey. Now, our goal is to compete at the highest level in Uganda.”
Challenging Battles Await
Next stage is expected to bring even greater competitiveness which means teams will be focusing on intense battles. Following the qualification draw, Zimbabwe’s captain, Hilton Mudariki, shared his thoughts on the upcoming encounter ” We know they are a quality side with some very talented players, many of whom are based in France. That makes them a tricky opponent for us. The good thing is that we now know our quarter-final matchup, allowing us to analyse their game and prepare accordingly. The last time we played them in Harare, the match ended in a 22-22 draw, so we know it will be a tough battle.”
Mudariki also emphasized the difficulty of the tournament, with potential matchups against strong teams like Kenya and Uganda “Our immediate focus is on getting past Morocco in the quarterfinals. We are aware of how competitive Uganda and Kenya are, and their match will be a fierce battle. For now, our goal is to take it one step at a time and ensure we overcome Morocco first.”
Morocco’s Growing Presence in Rugby
Beyond rugby union, Morocco has also participated in Rugby League World Cup qualifiers, though their involvement remains limited due to the sport’s developing status in the country. One of their most notable appearances was in 2013 when the national rugby league team competed in the Rugby League World Cup qualifiers. Morocco has also taken part in regional European competitions, such as the Mediterranean Cup, helping provide players with valuable international experience.
As Morocco prepares for the 2025 Rugby Africa Cup, the team aims to make a strong impression and solidify its place among Africa’s rugby elite.
