The 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations began in Rabat, Morocco, on Monday, October 12, with eight nations competing for the continental title in a tournament scheduled to run until October 21.

The opening day featured Libya against Zambia at the Moulay Abdellah Sports Hall, before hosts and defending champions Morocco faced Algeria as the race for the African crown got underway.

The competition is the eighth edition of the CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations, which brings together the continent’s leading national teams in the indoor version of football, played by two teams of five players.

Morocco will be seeking to retain the title on home soil after winning the previous three editions in 2016, 2020 and 2024, establishing themselves as the dominant force in African futsal.

Libya, champions in 2008, will also be aiming to mount a strong challenge after finishing third at the 2024 tournament, while Egypt enter the competition as three-time champions, having lifted the trophy in 1996, 2000 and 2004. 

Eight countries qualified for the finals, with the teams divided into two groups of four.

Group A features hosts Morocco, Libya, Zambia and Algeria, while Group B comprises Egypt, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania.

Each team will play the other three sides in its group, with the top two finishers in each group advancing to the semi-finals. The tournament will then proceed to the third-place match and final.

The competition will be staged at two venues in Rabat: the Moulay Abdellah Sports Hall and the Yassine Sports Hall. 

Libya will look to build on their previous podium finish under new head coach Pereira da Silva, who took charge following Ricardo Inuguez’s spell with the Mediterranean Knights.

Zambia, meanwhile, return under Andrea Cristoforetti, who guided the side at the 2024 finals. Their preparations included two friendly matches against Egypt, providing an opportunity to assess their progress against one of the continent’s established futsal teams.

Cristoforetti said the experience gained since the previous edition should help his players approach the tournament with greater confidence and understanding of the demands at this level. 

All 16 matches are scheduled to be broadcast live on CAF TV, the Confederation of African Football’s official YouTube channel, giving supporters across Africa and beyond access to the competition.

Although the tournament provides a platform for the development of African futsal, CAF has clarified that the 2026 edition will not serve as a qualifying competition for the FIFA Futsal World Cup. 

With Morocco aiming to extend their dominance, Libya seeking another podium finish and the remaining nations targeting a breakthrough, the 10-day tournament is expected to provide a competitive test of the continent’s growing futsal standards.