The fan zones in Rabat and Sale, set up for the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) 2025 in Morocco, have been more than just places to watch football, becoming spaces where several artisans from the participating African countries can showcase their craft.
They are also meeting points for visitors from across the continent, with artisans from Morocco, Tunisia, Tanzania, Uganda, Sudan, Benin, and DR Congo, giving people the chance to explore the crafts, buy souvenirs, and sometimes try making them by hand.
Uganda:
Night Consolanta, a Ugandan artisan at the fan zone Sale set for AFCON 2025 after being invited by the Moroccan embassy, told Hespress English that the tournament has been “a real opportunity to represent her country and share her handmade crafts with visitors.”
Consolanta, who came to Morocco with all the crafts she makes, was selected through a competition in Uganda that ended up picking just two artisans to represent the country at the tournament, with all expenses fully covered, including travel, transport of their craftwork, accommodation, and meals.
She said visitors, who mostly go for small, affordable items like keychains and earrings, appreciate her work, with some coming back for more, and she has even received promises of future business.
Even if sales have been modest and visitors sometimes communicate through signs, Consolanta praised the fans, stressing that “Moroccans love the art.”
Tanzania:
Agnes M. Mpata, a painter from Tanzania specializing in TingaTinga arts, a colorful and whimsical Tanzanian painting style, said the AFCON fan zones in Morocco are “a very good opportunity to showcase our art.”
She brought a range of small items like pencils and miniature figures, which are selling well, while larger pieces have yet to find buyers.
“This is a gateway to introduce my work to other people in Africa,” she said, adding that it’s her first time exhibiting in Morocco and she hopes visitors will come to know and appreciate TingaTinga art and maybe visit her country.
She said this space was also an opportunity to meet new friends and connect with customers at the fan zone in Rabat Souissi and hopes to do good business.
Tunisia:
Shorouk, a Tunisian artisan from Hammamet, said having a stand in the fan zone at Rabat Souissi for AFCON 2025 was a platform to showcase her craft and her country to visitors, both Moroccans and foreigners.
Specializing in decoration, Shorouk makes souvenirs inspired by her country’s heritage and said she also worked with Moroccan elements while she’s here.
She said visitors are often impressed when they realize the pieces are handmade, not printed, and can touch them with their own hands.
Shourouk noted that the turnout has been modest so far, but she hopes more people will visit and appreciate her work before the end of the tournament.
Morocco:
The fan zone in Sale has also been an opportunity to showcase Moroccan craftwork and culture in different forms, not only through stands displaying artisanal products, but also with a man in a traditional outfit serving Moroccan tea and a lady offering henna tattoos.
It also includes a workshop where Moroccans and foreign visitors can experience some crafts firsthand and learn the process of making them.
Wafaa Dahbi, co-founder of Atelier Les Jeunes Artisans, said that they run daily demonstrations on zellige, Arabic calligraphy, weaving, and traditional painting on wood, as well as AFCON-themed activities like personalizing tote bags or pottery with the tournament logo.
Having spaces at both the fan zones in Rabat Souissi and Sale, Dahbi said that “there has been strong interest from both Moroccans and foreigners attending the matches, as all workshops are free and visitors take home whatever they make.”
“Our workshops allow visitors to personalize an item they made with their own hands. It becomes a lasting souvenir of Morocco,” she said.
She noted that in Sale, most visitors are Moroccan, while OLM Souissi attracts more foreigners, including Tunisians, Egyptians, and Algerians, and sometimes mixed couples join the activities.
Dahbi said that this opportunity allows people to truly understand traditional craftsmanship, not just by looking at finished products, but by discovering the process behind them.
She explained that the hands-on experience helps people understand the effort and skill involved, giving them a deeper appreciation for Moroccan artisanal heritage.
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