Best prepaid and virtual cards for AFCON travellers

Adeolu Titus Adekunle

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As the world gears up for one of the greatest football tournaments, a common concern for visitors of the host nation is: how do we make payments? From paying for a visa to booking a flight and match tickets, paying for accommodations, and buying things online, everyone needs a reliable and affordable payment option before hopping on that flight to Morocco for the 2025 AFCON.

While you can easily spend cash in the market, at local food stalls, and on taxis, using a card for pretty much every other thing makes your life easier. Paying with a debit card from your home country may incur high fees or experience transaction declines. You might be unable to open a local account in Morocco before you arrive or even during your stay. Even then, traditional banks are often very expensive and slow. The tournament might be over before the bank finishes processing your payment. This is why getting a prepaid or virtual card is a great option for AFCON travellers. Let’s look at some of the best prepaid and virtual cards for AFCON travellers.

Also read: AFCON 2025 travel budgeting guide for first-time visitors

Using the Grey virtual USD debit card on your AFCON trip

A Grey virtual card can be used to pay for AFCON tickets online and manage tournament expenses, enabling seamless international transactions and currency conversion. It is a virtual USD Mastercard accepted anywhere Mastercard is accepted, and that’s virtually everywhere. You top up the virtual card with funds from your local bank account, and Grey handles currency conversion to USD at competitive rates. Grey issues multi-currency accounts that support transactions in USD, EUR, and GBP. You can also fund your account in these currencies and withdraw funds to local MAD accounts when paying locally.

How to get it:

  • Sign up on the Grey app
  • Verify your account with a valid ID, proof of residence, and a selfie.
  • Request for your bank details
  • Fund your account via bank transfer or mobile money
  • Generate the USD card and fund. You will be charged a one-time fee of $4.

Also read: How fans abroad can pay for AFCON tickets and match passes

Wise virtual card for AFCON travellers

Wise offers multi-currency accounts with low conversion fees and virtual cards for online payments. Wise’s mid-market exchange rates are often cheaper than those of traditional banks for card spending and currency conversion. You can withdraw up to £200/€200 (or equivalent) per month for free at ATMs in Morocco.

How to get it:

  • Sign up for a Wise account on the Wise website or in the Wise mobile app.
  • You will need to order a physical debit card to unlock the virtual card feature. This costs $9 USD.
  • Go to the "Cards" tab in the app, slide to the purple card option, and select "Get a digital card".
  • Fund your Wise account to start using the card instantly.

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Using Payz prepaid cards for AFCON

Payz prepaid cards can be used for expenses related to the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), such as purchasing tickets or managing travel funds, because they function as global Mastercards and are accepted wherever Mastercard is accepted. Payz offers globally accepted physical and virtual, including in online ticketing platforms and point-of-sale systems in the host country. You can hold and manage funds in up to eight currencies within your Payz account (including EUR, GBP, and USD with the Payz Plus card), helping you manage exchange rates and avoid currency issues when paying for tickets or local expenses.

As prepaid cards, they let you top up funds in advance, giving you control over your spending and helping you stay within a set budget for your AFCON trip. It also limits loss if your card is stolen.

Getting a Payz card:

  • Create an account on the Payz website.
  • Navigate to the "Payz cards" section and select the "Payz Mastercard" tab.
  • Order a physical card or instantly generate a virtual card for immediate online use.

Also read: AFCON 2025: The best tourist sites to visit in Morocco

Revolut virtual cards and disposable virtual cards for AFCON travellers

Revolut’s app makes it simple to create virtual cards, set spending limits, and use disposable cards for extra security. Disposable cards provide an extra layer of security: card details (number, CVV, expiry) refresh automatically after each online purchase, preventing fraud and unauthorised recurring charges from vendors. The Revolut app also makes budgeting and exchanging currency easy. You can link your multi-use virtual card to Apple Pay or Google Pay for seamless, contactless payments in stores using your phone. Note that while Revolut offers competitive exchange rates, weekend transactions may incur a currency exchange markup, depending on your specific plan.

Managing digital payments at the AFCON with Grey

If you plan to be in Morocco this year for the AFCON 2025, then you must have a reliable payment solution to avoid being stranded or losing a lot of money to high transaction costs and exchange rate markups. Grey helps you get ahead with a versatile USD card that supports funding from multiple currencies and integrates seamlessly with global payment platforms. Whether you are paying for your flight tickets, match tickets or. You can also send money from your multicurrency accounts to local MAD accounts at mid-market exchange rates.

Sign up on Grey or download the mobile app to simplify your international transitions.

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