Every major football tournament ends up with its own soundtrack, shaped as much by the crowd as the organisers.
The Africa Cup of Nations (Afcon) in Morocco is no different. With the national team reaching Sunday’s final against Senegal on home soil, many of the songs have taken on a more patriotic, cultural flavour with odes to the country’s identity, traditions and its position at the crossroads of the Middle East, North Africa and Europe.
Some tracks arrived with official backing and glossy production, others came from club terraces and street celebrations, but all of them found a home across broadcasts and social media as they traced Morocco’s run through the tournament. These are the songs by Moroccan artists that defined the country’s path to the final.
1. Marroquinos by RedOne, Zouhair Bahaoui, Nouamane Belaiachi and Manal
Using a Spanish and Portuguese term for Moroccans, the chanting chorus “Marroquinos, Marroquinos, Maghribi, Maghribi!” has quickly become a favourite in regional television broadcasts of Moroccan matches. Released in December in the run-up to the tournament, the all-Moroccan collaboration sonically distils what fans love about the kingdom: confidence in its culture paired with an ease around its global influences. Most importantly, it works because it is fun, immediate and impossible to miss.
2. Achkid by H-Kayne, Muslim, Dizzy Dros and Chaimae Abdelaziz
Football anthems rely as much on instruction as slogan. The chorus: “Achkid, achkid! Ar-rayah hamra fiha najma khadra,” (meaning: “Charge, charge! The red flag with the green star,”) is an ode to the Moroccan flag. Released in December by the Moroccan hip-hop heavyweights, the song draws on Amazigh language and folk imagery in a clear nod to the kingdom’s heritage rather than a generic rallying cry.
3. Tiki Taka by Zina Daoudia
By the time the tournament reached its decisive stages, Tiki Taka was impossible to avoid. Named after the fluid style of football, Zina Daoudia uses the phrase, with the chorus translating to: “Tiki Taka, the ball moves in the stadium,” to capture the free-flowing play that carried Morocco all the way to the final.
4. Azoul Africa by Cheb Simo
Azoul Africa opens with a greeting: “Azoul Africa, marhaba f’lbladna,” (“Hello Africa, welcome to our country”), that sets the tone for this sunny number by Cheb Simo. Combining Amazigh language and folk-pop textures, the song offers a warmer, more welcoming counterpoint to the more nationalistic chants circulating around the tournament.
5. Hadak Zine by Lariste, Nej’, Benny Adam and Bnet Oudaden
Borrowing a phrase used to express admiration for the homeland: “Hadak zine, ya hadak zine, dima Maghrib!” (meaning: “That’s beautiful, truly beautiful, always Morocco!”), the song found a natural home in social media clips of Moroccan fans in stadiums and fan zones, reflecting how the tournament and the national side’s run brought the country together.
6. F' Bladi Dalmouni by Ultras Eagles 06
An unofficial terrace anthem from one of Morocco’s biggest club sides, F' Bladi Delmouni has sat at the centre of Moroccan football culture for nearly a decade. Released in 2017, the song speaks to the rewards that come with hardship. The defining line “F’bladi delmouni” translates loosely to “In my country, they wronged me”, a phrase that blends grievance, loyalty and belonging in a single breath.
7. Rajawi Filistini by Raja Casablanca
A song by another of Morocco’s major clubs, the 2019 chant has taken on particular resonance across the region due to its defining line “Ya habiba ya Falasteen, ma nismah feek ya Gaza” (meaning “Beloved Palestine, we will not abandon you, Gaza”). Sung during matches by Moroccan sides, it frames football support as an act of solidarity, creating one of the most emotionally charged moments of any game in which it appears.
8. Welcome to Morocco by RedOne
First released for the Fifa Club World Cup in 2022, Welcome to Morocco by Grammy Award-winning Swedish-Moroccan producer and Dubai resident RedOne re-emerged during this tournament. The repeated line: “Welcome to Morocco, feel the magic in the air,” tells you everything you need to know about how the host nation chose to present itself to the world during Afcon 2025.
