Morocco to host 2022 African Champions League final in May: officials

Morocco is set to host the African Champions League final set to take place at the end of May, the Confederation of African Football (CAF) announced on Monday night.

Africa’s football ruling body announced Morocco’s hosting of the final following the Senegalese Football Federation’s decision to withdraw its bid.

The match will be played at the Mohammed VI stadium in the North African country's largest city of Casablanca. The stadium, which is the home ground for both the local Raja and Wydad teams, has a capacity nearing 46,000.

The African Champions League match has a history of being played over two legs, with home and away games. However, this decision was amended in 2019 by the CAF’s leadership for the 2022 tournament.

The decision came as Egypt's Al-Ahly reportedly asked for the final match to be played on a neutral ground.

In a letter to the football federation, Al-Ahly asked for the final to not be held in one of the semi-final teams’ home grounds, citing potential home advantage for one of the finalist teams.

On Saturday, the 10-time African champions easily beat Algerian side Entente de Setif 4-0 in the first leg of the semi-final, who were down to 10 men following a red card against Algerian player Amir Karaoui. The two teams will face each other in the second leg on 14 May.

Moroccan side Wydad AC beat its Angolan counterpart Petro de Luanda 1-3 on Angolan soil, with the two expected to face each other on 13 May for the semi-final’s second leg.

Al-Ahly are the current defending champions, beating South African side Kaizer Chiefs FC 3-0 last year.

Egyptian clubs, including Al-Ahly’s longtime rivals Zamalek, have the highest number of African Champions League final wins, numbering 16.

Teams from Tunisia, Morocco and the Democratic Republic of Congo have won a total of six trophies each, respectively.