The 2026 TotalEnergies CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations begins in Rabat, Morocco, on Monday, with eight countries competing for continental honours until October 21.
Hosts Morocco, Libya, Zambia, Algeria, Egypt, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania will contest the tournament, divided into two groups. Group A features Morocco, Libya, Zambia and Algeria, while Egypt, Angola, Mozambique and Tanzania make up Group B.
Libya will face Zambia in the opening match at the Moulay Abdellah Sports Hall, with the Mediterranean Knights hoping to build on their third-place finish at the 2024 edition, where they defeated Egypt on penalties.
The 2008 champions will be led by new head coach Pereira da Silva, who replaced Ricardo Inuguez. The former Al-Ittihad and Misrata coach is expected to guide Libya in their pursuit of another strong campaign.
Zambia, meanwhile, will be coached by Andrea Cristoforetti, who returns for his second consecutive appearance at the competition after leading the team in 2024.
Cristoforetti said two friendly matches against Egypt helped his players assess their readiness, while expressing respect for Libya’s experience and tactical organisation.
He also believes Zambia have improved since the previous tournament, with several players now better prepared for the demands of continental competition.
The coach said the team hoped to narrow the gap against Africa’s more experienced futsal nations, describing the tournament as another important step in Zambia’s development.
As the competition begins, Libya will seek to build on their previous podium finish, while Zambia aim to demonstrate their progress against one of the continent’s established futsal sides.
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