Only four games remain of the 52 planned games, but the monarch has yet to make an appearance at any of the games so far across the nine stadiums in six cities.
Prince Moulay Hassan at AFCON 2025
Instead, it has been his eldest son, Prince Moulay Hassan, who has stepped in to discharge the government duties in the absence of his father.
Prince Moulay was present in the opening game between Morocco and Comoros, where he soldiered the harsh weather conditions to greet all the players in person on the pitch before the start of the game.
Since then, he has been a common figure in the VIP box whenever Morocco plays alongside his sister, Princess Lalla Khadija, at times.
The 22-year-old is expected to attend the semi-final game on Wednesday when Morocco takes on Nigeria at the stadium named after his uncle, Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium.
Why King Mohammed VI of Morocco hasn’t attended any AFCON games
Which begs the question, where is his father, given how the AFCON is a huge tournament and is acting as the dress rehearsal of World Cup 2030, which they will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
The monarchy hasn’t provided an official statement, but a revelation by his personal physician, Professor Lahcen Belyamani, helped join the dots on where the King has been.
As Le360 reports, the physician revealed that the King was suffering from mechanical lumbosciatica, associated with a muscle contracture, but added he was under no serious threat.
The condition requires appropriate treatment and adequate rest, which explains why the King has been away from the public eye.
King Mohammed VI’s health issues
The 62-year-old monarch has suffered from multiple health conditions. He was spotted walking with a cane last year during a state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron.
He also underwent surgery in 2024 on his left shoulder, which was the third major surgery since 2017.
