Morocco have not lost at home since a 3-2 friendly defeat to Gabon in 2019 and have not lost a competitive fixture on their own patch since a 2-0 defeat by Cameroon in a World Cup qualifier in 2009.
With their run to the semi-finals of the World Cup in 2022, a record finish for Africa, they are the undisputed top team and will be incredibly difficult to overcome for the other 23 teams in the competition to lift the title.
We have been here before though. Moroccan sides have come into past Cup of Nations tournaments in form and with a favourites tag, but disappointed.
That was the case in Ivory Coast two years ago when their star-studded squad was beaten 2-0 by a workmanlike South Africa in the Round of 16.
In fact, for all their obvious talent, Morocco have not been to the semi-finals of the Cup of Nations since they finished runners-up to hosts Tunisia in 2004, with their only ever tournament win 50 years ago in 1976 when the tournament was staged in Ethiopia.
The pressure of an expectant home fanbase will certainly be on them, and that does funny things to players.
When Morocco last hosted the tournament in 1988 they were also among the favourites but lost 1-0 to Cameroon in the semi-finals and were then beaten by arch-enemies Algeria on penalties in the bronze-medal match.
It is one of many examples of a host nation failing to deliver on their potential.
“Of course, there is additional pressure, but we’re not going to hide from it,” Morocco coach Walid Regragui said. “This pressure is not just on me as the coach but also on the players. It’s a big responsibility, but it’s one we accept with pride.
“There are (Morocco) supporters who have dreamed of this trophy staying in Morocco since 1976.
“The sacred union between the team and the fans will be crucial. This pressure must be positive, and even if it becomes negative, we’ll handle it. We are highly motivated and have all the conditions to have a great tournament.”
Morocco have been drawn in Group A along with Mali, Zambia and Comoros, certainly no easy path.
“We respect all the teams in our group. Everyone dreams of winning, but with the talent and motivation in this squad, we are confident of making our supporters proud.”
Regragui said earlier this year that he is the right man to lift the trophy for Morocco.
“You won’t find a better person than me for the next African Cup of Nations. I’m convinced I can win it. If (Pep) Guardiola or (Carlo) Ancelotti could come and guarantee us the trophy, I’d be the first to give them my place. But that’s not the case.”
Ivory Coast won on home soil two years ago despite qualifying for the Round of 16 with the worst record of any of the sides in the knockout phase and a 4-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea in their group.
But they are the first home winner for 10 editions, since Egypt’s victory in 2006.
If we go further back, there have been only three home wins in the previous 16 editions – Tunisia (2004), Egypt (2006) and Ivory Coast (2023). South Africa were the previous hosts before that to claim the title on debut in 1996.
In the previous 34 editions of the competition, there have been 12 hosts who have lifted the trophy, but eight of those occasions were before 1991.
The hosts who have claimed the title are Egypt (1959, 1986, 2006), Ethiopia (1962), Ghana (1963, 1978), Sudan (1970), Nigeria (1980), Algeria (1990), South Africa (1996), Tunisia (2004) and Ivory Coast (2023).
Three host nations have finished runners-up after falling at the final hurdle – Tunisia (1965), Libya (1982) and Nigeria (2000).
The worst performance by a host is a group stage exit, which befell Ethiopia (1976), Ivory Coast (1984), Tunisia (1994) and Gabon (2017).
AFCON HOSTS’ FINISHES
1957: Sudan – Third place
1959: Egypt – Champions
1962: Ethiopia – Champions
1963: Ghana – Champions
1965: Tunisia – Runners-up
1968: Ethiopia – Fourth place
1970: Sudan – Champions
1972: Cameroon – Third place
1974: Egypt – Third place
1976: Ethiopia – Group stage
1978: Ghana – Champions
1980: Nigeria – Champions
1982: Libya – Runners-up
1984: Ivory Coast – Group stage
1986: Egypt – Champions
1988: Morocco – Fourth place
1990: Algeria – Champions
1992: Senegal – Quarter-finals
1994: Tunisia – Group stage
1996: South Africa – Champions
1998: Burkina Faso – Fourth place
2000: Ghana – Quarter-finals / Nigeria – Runners-up
2002: Mali – Fourth place
2004: Tunisia – Champions
2006: Egypt – Champions
2008: Ghana – Third place
2010: Angola – Quarter-finals
2012: Equatorial Guinea – Quarter-finals / Gabon – Quarter-finals
2013: South Africa – Quarter-finals
2015: Equatorial Guinea – Fourth place
2017: Gabon – Group stage
2019: Egypt – Round of 16
2021: Cameroon – Third place
2023: Ivory Coast – Champions