Moroccan police have arrested a hotel employee in Casablanca on suspicion of stealing money from the rooms of players representing an African women’s national team competing at the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026).
Officers from the judicial police unit in Casablanca’s Anfa security district made the arrest after receiving complaints about several separate thefts from players hotel rooms.
According to a police statement, investigators carried out extensive field inquiries that led them to identify the suspect as an employee of the same hotel where the players were staying during the tournament.
Police also recovered MAD 10,000 during searches linked to the investigation. Authorities believe the amount represents the full sum allegedly taken from the players. Investigators said the suspect had converted the stolen money from US dollars into Moroccan dirhams.
The hotel employee has been placed in custody while a judicial investigation continues under the supervision of the competent public prosecutor’s office.
Authorities said the investigation will establish the full circumstances surrounding the alleged thefts and determine all criminal acts that may be attributed to the suspect.
Moroccan police did not publicly identify either the hotel or the African national team involved in the case.
However, reports circulating in Nigeria earlier claimed that several members of the Super Falcons discovered money missing from their rooms while the squad was staying at a hotel in Casablanca ahead of the tournament.
Nigeria forward Esther Okoronkwo alleged on social media that $700 had been stolen from her wallet after she initially believed the missing amount was $500. She also claimed that several of her teammates discovered cash had disappeared from their wallets during the team’s stay.
The Super Falcons’ media officer later confirmed that the players had officially reported the matter to the relevant Moroccan authorities and that an investigation had been launched.
Despite the arrest, the police statement did not explicitly confirm that the case involving the hotel employee is connected to the complaints made by the Nigerian players. As a result, the identity of the affected national team remains officially undisclosed.
The incident comes as Morocco hosts the 2026 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON 2026), which began in Rabat on July 26 and will run until August 16.
The arrested hotel employee remains a suspect and has not been convicted of any offence. Prosecutors will determine the next legal steps after reviewing the findings of the ongoing police investigation.
