AFCON 2025 kicks off with French Montana, RedOne, and others lighting up opening ceremony in Rabat
The 2025 TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations gets under way tonight (Sunday) in Morocco with three global music stars taking centre stage at the opening ceremony, as African football’s flagship tournament launches with a spectacle designed to capture the imagination of audiences around the world.
Moments before hosts Morocco face Comoros in the tournament’s opening match at the Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, French Montana, Davido and RedOne will headline the ceremony’s flagship performance, titled “Le Show”.
The performance is expected to be one of the most visually striking opening moments in AFCON history, combining music, light, movement and symbolism in a carefully choreographed display aimed at a global television audience stretching far beyond the continent.
Three artists, three worlds
French Montana, born in Morocco and raised in the United States, brings global hip-hop influence and diaspora identity to the opening night.
One of the most recognizable African-born artists on the international rap scene, his presence reflects Morocco’s role as host and a cultural bridge between Africa and the wider world.
Davido arrives as one of Africa’s most influential musical figures of the modern era. The Nigerian Afrobeats star has helped carry African music onto the world’s biggest stages, with a sound associated with celebration, confidence and continental pride, qualities CAF believes mirror the spirit of the Africa Cup of Nations.
Completing the trio is RedOne, the Moroccan-born producer whose work has shaped global pop music across continents. His inclusion underlines Africa’s creative reach behind the scenes, linking African identity with international audiences through sound and production.
A performance for a global stage
“Le Show” will unfold as a dynamic visual narrative, with the three artists converging at centre stage amid pulsing lights, drums and digital displays. The performance is designed to reflect unity, diversity and movement, themes central to AFCON 2025’s message.
The opening ceremony will serve as a cultural statement as much as a sporting one, projecting African creativity and confidence to millions watching worldwide.
A month of football across Morocco
Tonight’s ceremony marks the start of a month-long tournament running until 18 January, featuring 24 national teams competing across six host cities: Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Marrakech, Fez and Agadir.
With nine stadiums in use and Morocco hosting the finals for the first time since 1988, AFCON 2025 is being framed as one of the most ambitious editions of the competition, combining elite football with cultural storytelling on a continental scale.
As the first ball is kicked later tonight, Africa’s biggest football celebration begins not only with goals and competition, but with music, identity and a message designed to resonate far beyond the pitch.
-CAFonline
