The African Nations Championship (CHAN), created in 2009 and exclusively for players competing in their domestic leagues, has seen Morocco rise from humble beginnings to continental dominance. Today, the Atlas Lions locals are recognized as one of the competition’s great powers.
In the first editions, Morocco struggled to make an impact. Eliminated in the group stage in 2009 and absent in 2011, they gradually improved. By 2014, the team reached the quarter-finals, signaling that its domestic football structure was starting to bear fruit.
The breakthrough came in 2018 on home soil. In front of their fans, Morocco delivered an extraordinary campaign, playing with flair and discipline. The peak arrived in the final, where the Atlas Lions crushed Nigeria 4-0 to claim their first-ever CHAN title. Two years later, in 2020 in Cameroon, the Moroccans confirmed their rise by defending their crown — an extremely rare feat in the tournament’s history.
With back-to-back triumphs, Morocco remains the only nation to have achieved a consecutive double at CHAN. This success reflects the strength of its domestic league and the nation’s player development system. Although absent in 2022 due to diplomatic tensions surrounding the tournament in Algeria, Morocco’s legacy makes them one of the most respected and feared teams in CHAN history.