Morocco’s Regragui predicts AFCON semifinal ‘spectacle’ in ideal conditions

Morocco coach Walid Regragui expects a spectacle in the Africa Cup of Nations semifinals, with the continent's four best teams all capable of winning the title, and says better conditions mean fewer upsets in the future.

Morocco plays Nigeria in the second semifinal on Wednesday after Senegal meets seven-time champion Egypt in a repeat of their 2021 final.

Regragui's team reached the semifinals of the 2022 World Cup but disappointed at the last Africa Cup in the Ivory Coast. It is under huge pressure to win the tournament as host and end a 50-year wait since Morocco won its only Africa Cup title in 1976.

Morocco, which will be a co-host of the 2030 World Cup, has embarked on a major spending spree to modernize playing facilities, stadiums, and infrastructure across the kingdom, deepening expectations among the Moroccan public.

But Regragui can only focus on the field, where he expects an exhibition on Wednesday with thecontinent'ss best teams and players competing in ideal conditions.

"Good stadiums, good playing fields, good climate, and I think the players you should have in the semifinals: Salah, Ballon d'Or, Hakimi, Ballon d'Or, Lookman, Ballon d'Or, Osimhen, Ballon d'Or, Mané, Ballon d'Or," Regragui said, referring to all the African Footballer of the Year awards they had won. "It means we have practically the best African players of recent years."

He added that Nigeria had reached the final 17 times, "Egypt always gets a ticket, they're always there," and 2021 winner Senegal has been one of the best, "if not the best," teams in Africa in recent years.

Regragui said the level of soccer being played is at its highest because of the cool conditions of North Africa in winter.

"In the last Africa Cup (in the Ivory Coast), we played the Democratic Republic of Congo, when they made us play at 1.30 p.m. in 40 degrees Celsius heat (104 F) with 80% humidity. It's certainly more difficult to win a match," Regragui said. "Today we've given conditions for the best teams to play their best football."

The temperature in San Pedro, Ivory Coast, was actually 32 degrees C (90 F) when the match Regragui referred to started.

Regragui predicted that better conditions would lead to bigger clashes between evenly matched teams and that there would be fewer upsets with more spectacle instead."

“We will be able to sell rights abroad, we will give a better show of our continent, and I will be the happiest of coaches then as a pro-African because that is what we want, our continent, our football to be respected, even if it is not always perfect," Regragui said. "We are moving in the right direction, and I hope there will be goals in these two semifinals, that there will be a spectacle to showcase our continent."

On the eve of the tournament, the Confederation of African Football announced that the Africa Cup would switch to a four-year cycle from 2028. Coaches at the tournament have criticized that decision, but it brings the tournament into line with FIFA's calendar.