james wika 
Visa Insights Show Visitor Spending Increased Across Morocco’s Host Cities During TotalEnergies CAF AFCON, Morocco 2025
- Rabat recorded the highest increase in visitor spending, with inbound spend up 70% during the tournament period.
- Sports related spending rose 45%, while at home food delivery and grocery spend increased by 55%.
Visa, a global leader in digital payments, released its latest consumer spending insights for the TotalEnergies CAF AFCON, Morocco 2025 tournament period in Morocco (21 December 2025–18 January 2026), based on the Visa Consulting & Analytics Retail Spend Monitor.
The findings show year‑on‑year growth in cross-border transactions, highlighting the impact of major sporting events on travel patterns and spending behaviors.
Highlights of inbound spending trends during the tournament period include:
Cross-Border Spending Trends
Inbound spending increased during the tournament, with cross‑border transactions from participating countries rising over 190% year‑on‑year, driven mainly by visitors from Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Together, they accounted for over 60% of the growth. Across all inbound markets, visitors from France, the United States, and the United Kingdom accounted for almost half of the total increase.
Travel and Stay Patterns
Building on this rise in cross-border activity, short-stay visitor spending (1–4 days) from participating countries increased by 120%, while long-stay spending (5+ days) rose by 210%.
All six host cities recorded higher inbound spending across all visitor markets, with Rabat (+70%), Tangier (+55%), and Casablanca (+50%) showing the largest increases
Sports-Related Spending
Sports‑related spending also increased by 45% during the period, supported by higher fan merchandise purchases and increased activity in sporting clubs, particularly golf, swimming, and outdoor camps.
Everyday Spending Patterns
At‑home spending also increased, with delivered food and groceries up 55% during the tournament period.
Sami Romdhane, Country Manager, Visa, Morocco, said:“These spending patterns show a broad
uplift across key categories, from inbound and short‑stay transactions to sports‑related purchases and at‑home spend. Together, they provide a snapshot of how fans and visitors chose to engage across Morocco during the tournament.”
At Visa Consulting & Analytics, we turn this data into actionable strategies that enable our partners to identify opportunities and deliver better experiences.”
Chad Pollock, VP & GM Visa East Africa, said: “The data shows how major tournaments can shape spending patterns around travel and commerce.
As the next hosts, East Africa has the opportunity to see similar dynamics, particularly in cross border visitor spending and activity across local businesses”
Teams qualified for TotalEnergies CAF AFCON, Morocco 2025 include Morocco, Senegal, Egypt, Algeria, Nigeria, Tunisia, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali, DR Congo, Cameroon, South Africa, Burkina Faso, Gabon, Uganda, Angola, Zambia, Benin, Equatorial Guinea, Mozambique, Comoros, Tanzania, Sudan, Zimbabwe, Botswana.
