"The Atlas Lionesses" are encouraged by the land and the audience to shine in "CAN 2026."

After the curtain falls on the Moroccan national team's participation in the 2026 Men's World Cup, the eyes of Moroccan fans are once again turned to the national team, but this time through the lens of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations, hosted by the kingdom amidst great ambitions that place the "Atlas Lionesses" among the top contenders for the title.

Moroccans hope that Coach Jorge Vilda's squad will successfully leverage the home ground and fan support to continue the upward trajectory of women's national football, after reaching the finals in the last two editions, and striving to win their first continental title in history.

Sports journalist Saida Al-Alawi confirmed that the "Atlas Lionesses" enter this edition of the continental competition as one of the teams expected to go far in the tournament, emphasizing that this is not only related to the home ground and fan support, but also to the significant development that Moroccan women's football has witnessed in recent years, and the results it has achieved on both continental and international levels.

Al-Alawi added, in a statement to Hespress, that the group of the national team, which includes Senegal, Algeria, and Kenya, will not be easy, given the progress that African women's teams have made in recent years, noting that on paper, the Moroccan team remains the most prepared and experienced within the group, considering that the opening match against Kenya will be a crucial key to instilling confidence in the players and taking the first step towards the next round.

The sports journalist pointed out that the matches against Senegal and Algeria will be the real test to measure the "Lionesses'" ability to top the group, confirming that Jorge Vilda's squad has all the components to finish the first round at the top, provided they approach the matches with the required seriousness, especially since expectations have risen after previous successes, stressing the need to capitalize on the advantages of home ground and fan support, which could give the team an additional edge in decisive encounters.