AFCON 2025: Hosts Morocco adopt high technology

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Torrential rains and football generally do not coexist. 

Often the game has to make way for the weather, as was the case recently with the third-place match of the Arab Cup between the UAE and Saudi Arabia in the Qatari capital. The contest had to be written off because the rain was too heavy.  

So what is Morocco’s secret?

The AFCON 2025 hosts have had heavy rain since the beginning of the tournament, and yet the games have continued uninterrupted. There have been almost daily downpours in the six host cities of Rabat, Casablanca, Agadir, Marrakech, Fes and Tangier in Morocco. 

The other week, 46mm of rain fell in Rabat, according to the General Directorate of Meteorology (DGM).

It might have rained goals on Uganda in their AFCON opener against Tunisia, but that had nothing to do with the heavy rain that fell on the Olympic Stadium. The pitch remained unaffected; there were no puddles, and the match balls rolled normally.

The rain might be heavy, but when it comes to its effect on Morocco’s world-class stadiums, we are talking water off a duck’s back. The secret is the innovative system called SubAir Morocco installed in its football facilities.

In an engagement with Moroccan media, Rachid Haouch, an architect and former vice-president of the National Council of the Order of Architects (CNOA), said the adoption of SubAir technology and its integration into stadium infrastructure represents a major asset for the kingdom. He described it as a game-changer.

How it works

To manage wet conditions, the secret behind Morocco's world-class pitches is the innovation called SubAir, a moisture removal system like this one pictured at the Augusta National Golf Club in Augusta, Georgia 

The SubAir drainage system installed beneath the playing surface sucks out extra water and pumps fresh air into the soil.

The system, made up of pumps, blowers and is connected to underground drainage, can hold between 600,000 and 1,120,000 litres of water.

It pumps air into the soil to feed the roots, removes harmful gases, and pulls out excess water up to 36 times faster than a gravity drainage system, and in the process offers ground managers full control over subsurface conditions.

That is why all the fields have remained free of puddles, and no ball has gotten stuck in water logs.

On top of that, most of the stadiums in Morocco are fitted with hybrid grass, a mix of natural turf and synthetic fibres built to handle wet weather. The synthetic fibres keep the surface steady when players run or slide, while the natural grass soaks up rain.

Lessons

Of course, this is just another reminder of Morocco’s dedication to excellence and proof of the exemplary leadership of King Mohammed VI.

“The kingdom has been investing in modern stadiums and urban infrastructure for many years, not because of the AFCON, but as part of a broader national development strategy,” Omar Khyari, an advisor to the Royal Moroccan Federation of Football president Fouzi Lekjaa, told Moroccan media. 

“The country did not wait for AFCON or the World Cup to transform itself," he said.