Soufiane Borite knows exactly what it means to lift the TotalEnergies CAF Futsal Africa Cup of Nations trophy — he has done it three times. Now, as Morocco prepare to host the 2026 edition on home soil, the experienced Atlas Lions midfielder insists the stakes have never felt higher.

"Even though we've been champions three times in a row, there's always some stress, and even more responsibility now because the tournament is in our country," Borite told CAFOnline. "We feel that responsibility on our shoulders. But alongside the stress, there's also confidence. The coach is helping us keep a positive atmosphere, and everything is going well as we focus on the tournament."

A career built on winning

The 33-year-old from Kenitra made his tournament debut at the 2016 edition in South Africa and has collected a winners' medal at every AFCON since. He currently plays his club futsal for Tigers' Roermond and remains one of the most decorated players in the Moroccan squad.

"It's always the best feeling to be called up to represent the national team, especially with the confidence the coach has placed in me," he said. "I've been called up since 2016, and it's always an honor, particularly in a big competition like the Africa Cup of Nations."

Title defence on home turf

Morocco claimed the most recent TotalEnergies CAF Futsal AFCON title in 2024, defeating Angola 5-1 in the final, before advancing to the quarter-finals of the FIFA Futsal World Cup. Borite is clear that the mandate for Morocco 2026 is nothing less than retaining that crown.

"The main objective is to keep the title in Morocco and win the Futsal AFCON again, this time in our own country," he said. "There are big national teams in this tournament, so we need to stay focused and work hard to keep the trophy here."

Morocco are the top seed in Group A, where they will face Algeria, Libya, and Zambia. Their opening match is against Algeria on Monday, 12 October, at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Sports Complex in Rabat.

Dguig's influence on African futsal

Much of Morocco's dominance is attributed to head coach Hicham Dguig, who has been at the helm since 2010. Borite is effusive in his praise for the former international.

"He is important not only to our team but to futsal in Africa," Borite said. "He's a FIFA instructor, so he knows a lot about futsal and is very good at coaching and analyzing games and opponents, which gives us a big advantage. He also shares his knowledge with coaches across Africa, so coaching on the continent is improving."

A continent on the rise

Borite is under no illusions about the strength of the competition Morocco will face. He highlighted Angola's run to the 2024 final and their strong showing at the subsequent FIFA Futsal World Cup, noting that several of their players have since joined prominent clubs in Europe.

"Algeria has players in good leagues in France. Egypt, Libya, and Mozambique are also strong," he warned. "The level of African futsal teams keeps rising, so it will be a very difficult AFCON this time."

At home, the growth of futsal has been equally striking. "More people have started to love watching futsal, and especially the national team, because we're bringing home trophies," Borite said — a reminder that for Morocco, success on the court has become an expectation rather than a bonus.