--- title: "Ghizlane Chebbak leads Morocco's bid at WAFCON; Morocco eyeing first major title" sdDatePublished: "2026-08-03T13:16:00Z" source: "https://www.olympics.com/en/news/2026-wafcon-ghizlane-chebbak-drives-morocco-breakthrough-title" topics: - name: "sport" identifier: "medtop:15000000" locations: - "Nigeria" - "Malawi" - "South Africa" - "Germany" - "Morocco" --- Ghizlane Chebbak leads Morocco's bid at WAFCON; Morocco eyeing first major title 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations: Ghizlane Chebbak drives Morocco’s push for a breakthrough title 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations: Ghizlane Chebbak drives Morocco’s push for a breakthrough title In what could be her final major tournament for Morocco, Chebbak is aiming to help the Atlas Lionesses win their first major title. Ghizlane Chebbak is globally recognised as a figure of African women's football , lauded for her role in Morocco’s emphatic rise over the last decade. She wears the captain’s armband and leads with purpose, the heart of a team on the up. But there once was a time when the 35-year-old was an isolated figure in her neighbourhood, the only girl playing the sport. It never deterred her, though. She persisted, not out of rebellion and resistance, because of the support she received. Her family – particularly father Larbi, who also played for Morocco – gave all the encouragement Chebbak needed to succeed in life and sport. “My family helped me continue in the sport. My father loved football and my brothers love football. My mother encouraged me to play football,” she said in a recent interview . “I had a lot of support from my family. They were happy when they saw me playing; that has made me happy and made me more comfortable playing the game. I always say, to this day, I am lucky that I have a family that loves sports and football in general.” That sense of gratitude shapes who she is now as a player on and off the pitch. Her childhood sits in stark contrast to what young girls in Morocco experience now, with women’s football more visible than ever. Investment and opportunity have grown alongside her career, turning Chebbak into the face of a nation, a player who has become synonymous with football in her country. Both player and nation have taken strides forward in tandem, with only one thing remaining to achieve: a major title. 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations: Barbra Banda, Temwa Chawinga in race for the Golden Boot – full list Chebbak at the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. Morocco’s patient rise to the top Morocco’s rise in the last decade is evident in their presence on the big stage. Playing their first international match in 1998, the Atlas Lionesses have had to bide their time. Despite playing in the first two editions of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), exiting in the group stages on both occasions, their return to the competition wouldn’t come until 2022. Their time away resulted in necessary investment from their federation, which in turn saw steady growth on the pitch to develop a team capable of challenging. In the first of what is set to be three consecutive occasions hosting the tournament, Morocco finished runners-up. It was bittersweet to come so close, but a real demonstration of just how far they had come. Three years later in the 2024 edition – held in 2025 – they repeated that feat, this time falling to 10-time title winners Nigeria at the last hurdle. In between, they competed at their maiden FIFA Women’s World Cup tournament in 2023, shocking many as they reached the round of 16, finishing ahead of Germany to progress. It isn’t just the senior side reaping the rewards of continued support, either. Work has gone into grassroots football across the country, too, with different development programs focused on finding the next generation of Atlas Lionesses. As a result, participation numbers skyrocketed , with 5,000 registered players turning into 60,000. This isn’t luck, nor is it a coincidence – this is the reward of hard work and investment that has gone into bringing Morocco up to speed, as their captain emphasises. “There are a lot of people who see the results that Morocco has achieved now, and they think it’s by coincidence, they are surprised by the results,” Chebbak said. “This is the result of years and years of hard work. It took years to get here. It’s not by chance. I lived in a time when there was nothing dedicated to women’s football and now there is everything… but we still have more to do.” Chebbak (L) and her teammates at FIFA Women's World Cup 2023. Ghizlane Chebbak: Aiming for a major title with Morocco For Chebbak, nothing would mean more than to cap this rise with silverware. The latest edition of WAFCON might be her last major tournament for her nation, meaning one last roll of the dice. Her career is filled with individual honours, from Golden Boot awards to global recognition. Yet none of them carry the weight of a title with Morocco. It is not necessarily a stretch to suggest she would forgo every solo accolade if it meant lifting something with the Atlas Lionesses . “My biggest dream is to win a trophy with the national team,” she said after being named in the FIFPRO World 11 in 2025. “Two times we’ve lost the final, but we hope to win this precious trophy soon.” ‘Soon’ could very well be this month, with Morocco unbeaten in their current campaign so far. Their opponents in the finals they lost to in 2022 and 2025, meanwhile, have not looked quite as good. South Africa have managed just one point from two games, while reigning champions Nigeria suffered a shock opening defeat against debutants Malawi. If they do go all the way and finally lift a trophy that has long eluded them, it would be a culmination of Morocco’s transformation over the years, from little support to sold-out stadiums, hosting WAFCON, and being genuine contenders. Should this be Chebbak's final outing on this stage, in what is effectively a passing of the baton, there would be no farewell quite as fitting as this. Picture by 2023 Getty Images