The 2025 Africa Cup of Nations currently ongoing in Morocco has witnessed many outstading moments and events since kicking off on Sunday, 21st December as the hosts secured a 2-1 win over Comoros in Rabat. Right from the Mohammed V International Airport in Casablanca to the Agadir, Marrakesh, Fes and Tangier, the vibe of Africa’s most coveted football showpiece is evident.
Whereas goals, dribbles, flicks and celebrations dominate headlines for such major tournaments, what has also remained consistent are the intense and continious rains given the fact its winter time in Morocco.
The winter period generally runs from December to February, featuring mild, sunny days (around 15-20°C/59-68°F) in cities and coasts but significantly cold most times. Daytime temperatures in Morocco range between 15–20°C, with much colder conditions at night. In Fes, city records daytime highs of around 14°C, with nighttime temperatures dropping to as low as 6°C.
Rabat and Casablanca have similar conditions, with daytime temperatures around 18°C and cooler nights, while Tangier is also relatively cold, reaching lows of about 8°C at night.
Several African nations face challenges to maintain pitches amidst heavy rains with CAF and host nations failing to find a perfect solution in the past, the most recent being the 2017 edition in Gabon. It is upon this background that the tournament period for the 2023 AFCON edition in Ivory Coast changed to January–February 2024 upon the host’s request, in order to avoid the West and Central African tropical rain season, which typically reaches its peak around June–July.
For Morocco, there was a grand plan to negate such conditions and if the games played so far are anything to go by, no amount of rains can affect the quality of display on the pitch.
What did Morocco do?
According to Moroccan publication, Le 360, the country installed SubAir drainage systems across all the stadiums being used for AFCON 2025.
SubAir is an advanced subsurface technology for sports fields that uses vacuum and pressure to rapidly remove excess water and circulate fresh air, preventing soggy grounds, speeding up play after rain, and improving turf health by managing moisture and oxygen in the root zone, allowing games to go on after downpours.
“The system’s operating principle is based on the active and controlled management of water and air beneath the playing surface. Unlike traditional gravity drainage systems, which are limited to the passive removal of water through slopes and filter layers, SubAir operates dynamically via a network of pipes installed beneath the root zone of the natural grass,” reads an excerpt from Le 360.
“This network is connected to pressure units equipped with industrial pumps and high-efficiency fans. These units allow for the creation of negative or positive pressure beneath the lawn, depending on operational needs. In the event of heavy rainfall, the system operates in suction mode: excess water is immediately drawn through the soil pores and directed to underground pipes, preventing substrate saturation and any seepage to the surface.”
The system allows absorption of over one million litres of water even amidst torrential rains.
During heavy rainfall, SubAir switches into suction mode. Excess water is rapidly pulled through the soil pores into underground pipes, preventing waterlogging and stopping moisture from breaking through to the surface. The result is a pitch that remains firm, stable and playable even as rain continues to fall.
Morocco in the few games played so far has demonstrated that they have set the bar high, showing the Kingdom’s broader ambition to host major global sporting events, including the 2030 FIFA World Cup.