Published Friday, 13 November, 8:15 PM ET (1:15 AM Saturday Casablanca) · Source: Rio Times match desk, checked against independent match reports
Morocco did not so much win in Casablanca as throw a party, and Achraf Hakimi was the host. Morocco’s national team, nicknamed the Atlas Lions, beat Niger 5-1 on Friday, 13 November 2026, in a qualifier for the 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON 2027 qualifier), their third straight win.
Hakimi, the Morocco captain and a Paris Saint-Germain full-back, scored twice. The result puts Morocco on nine points, three clear of Gabon, with the return leg in Rabat on Tuesday, 17 November.
This story is part of our coverage of the AFCON 2027 qualifiers. Dates, times and how to follow it are in our guide.
Latest: Nigeria Come Back to Beat Tanzania 3-1
The Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) is the continent’s national-team championship, and 2027 is co-hosted by Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. Morocco, a 2022 World Cup semi-finalist, is playing a four-team qualifying group home and away.
How Hakimi Turned the Night Into a Rout
Yassir Zabiri, a Morocco forward, opened the scoring early set up by playmaker Brahim Díaz. Hakimi doubled the lead in the 27th minute.
Niger’s Mohamed Abdouramane pulled one back before the break, and then won a penalty that could have levelled the match. Morocco goalkeeper Yassine Bounou saved it.
Hakimi then struck a direct free kick in first-half stoppage time. Morocco went into the dressing room 3-1 up.
File photo: Brahim Díaz (10) and captain Achraf Hakimi (2) celebrate for Morocco in an earlier match.The Substitutes Finish the Job
Morocco coach Mohamed Ouahbi made changes in the second half, and they paid off. Striker Youssef En-Nesyri, who was recalled for this window, scored after coming on,.
In the 90th minute, Ayoub Oufkir, a winger from Dutch club AZ Alkmaar, made it 5-1. It was his first appearance for the senior national team, and he scored.
Several regulars, including Ismaël Saibari, Neil El Aynaoui, Soufiane Rahimi, Azzedine Ounahi, Chadi Riad and Ayoub El Kaabi, missed the match. Morocco still won by four goals.
Why Group A Is Now Morocco’s to Lose
Morocco have won all three qualifiers and sit on nine points. Gabon, the Central African side, are second on six, Niger third on three and Lesotho have none.
Niger are the nominal home side on Tuesday, because the country has no stadium approved by the Confederation of African Football (CAF), the continent’s governing body. The match will be played at the Prince Moulay Abdellah complex in Rabat, with Morocco the practical hosts again.
File photo: The Prince Moulay Abdellah stadium in Rabat during construction work, the venue named for the 17 November return leg.What It Means for US Readers
Morocco reached the World Cup semi-finals in 2022, so American fans will know the team. A rout like this suggests it will arrive at the 2027 finals in good form.
The risk is a letdown once the group looks settled. The clearest test is Rabat on 17 November, where a second heavy win would confirm control of the group.
What Prediction Markets Say
On Polymarket, a platform where users trade real-money bets on outcomes, the AFCON 2027 winner market priced Morocco at 32.5% on Friday at 8:12 p.m. ET. Senegal stood at 20.6%, Egypt at 12.9%, Ivory Coast at 12.6%, Cape Verde at 11.8% and Gabon at 11.4%, with about US$22,100 traded.
Why we show this: prediction markets turn real-money bets into a live probability that moves within minutes of the news, which is why investors, campaigns and newsrooms in the United States now follow them closely. We show them next to polls and official results, never instead of them.
What Is Not Known
The kick-off times in Casablanca and for the return leg in Rabat were not confirmed in US Eastern time. No post-match quotes or federation statements were available, and no official match sheet had been consulted.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the score between Morocco and Niger?
Morocco won 5-1 in Casablanca on Friday, 13 November 2026. Half-time was 3-1.
When do Morocco and Niger play again?
They meet on Tuesday, 17 November 2026, in Rabat. The kick-off time has not been confirmed.
Sources: Rio Times match desk; the Confederation of African Football (CAF) qualifying fixtures; independent match reports from Casablanca; Polymarket.
Africa: The New Scramble — why the world’s powers are competing for the continent