Morocco Embeds Football in Public Policies with Bold Investments – L’Équipe

As it prepares to host major international sporting events, the Kingdom of Morocco has placed football at the heart of its public policy, undertaking massive investments in infrastructure, according to the French sports daily L’Équipe.

“Behind the resilience of Hakim Ziyech and Achraf Hakimi during the 2022 Qatar World Cup—a performance that captivated the world—lies another reality: that of a country that has embedded football into its core public strategies,” writes the renowned outlet in an article named “Ahead of the 2030 World Cup, Morocco Pulls Out All Stops to Enhance Infrastructure.”

In an in-depth feature exploring “the foundations of this rapidly growing footballing nation,” the newspaper highlights, with supporting photographs, the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé, inaugurated by His Majesty King Mohammed VI in 2019.

Spread over 35 hectares on the edge of the vast Maâmora Forest, the complex cost nearly €60 million and should be profitable within six years, according to L’Équipe, citing Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).

“The establishment of the complex has allowed us to host all 25 national teams on-site, including futsal and beach soccer squads. This has significantly reduced accommodation and transport costs,” explains Lekjaa.

The center, managed as a joint-stock company, is a hub for a wide range of events and audiences: from referee academy classes and federation training seminars to CAF meetings and even the African Ballon d’Or ceremony. According to the article’s author, several FIFA departments will soon be based there, near the future national football museum.

The complex also includes eleven football pitches, five hotels with spacious rooms, a mosque next to an Olympic swimming pool, and a cutting-edge medical center, the report adds.

For the purposes of the article, L’Équipe also visited the Ibn Batouta Stadium in Tangier, which is undergoing extensive renovations in preparation for upcoming competitions.

Originally inaugurated in 2011 with over 45,000 seats surrounding an athletics track, the stadium was first refurbished in 2019. However, with the 2030 World Cup on the horizon, the venue is now being transformed to meet FIFA standards, expanding to 62,544 seats, adding luxury boxes, and enhancing all facilities.

As part of this large-scale transformation, 1,200 workers have installed a 55,000 m² metal roof structure, reportedly the second-largest in the world after the Maracanã. The Kingdom has invested more than €340 million to upgrade the stadium, the article details.

“With rows of seats in ocean blue and soft white tones, the Tangier stadium evokes a sense of calm,” the paper continues, describing “immense corridors around the pitch, leading to nearly 142 skyboxes, some vast as continents, others perched high with panoramic views of the Mediterranean.”

Ahead of the 2030 World Cup, Morocco will host two major trial events: the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (July 5–26), starting this Saturday, and the Men’s edition (December 21 – January 18).

In recent years, Morocco has made substantial investments in its sports sector, the specialized publication concludes.

 Rachida Elomari, a young supporter of Wydad Athletic Club of Casablanca, became the millionth spectator of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup held in the United States, the FIFA reports. 

Nine-year-old Rachida Elomari, who lives in the US state of Virginia, had never had the chance to attend a match in a stadium until her favorite club faced the Italian football giant. She had been waiting for this moment ever since the Moroccan side qualified for the 32-team tournament, the FIFA points out. 

“I was really excited because I wanted to see my team play. It’s my my first time ever going to a stadium. And, I would like to support my team with all my might!” she said. 

“Seeing the Club World Cup here in real life is just a great opportunity with the greatest teams in the world, in my personal opinion.” she added. 

Fans lie at the heart of the success of the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup, with total attendance exceeding one million spectators during the match between Juventus FC and Wydad AC at Philadelphia’s Lincoln Financial Field.

The largest single-match attendance (80,619 spectators) was reached on June 15 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Los Angeles, for Paris Saint-Germain v. Atlético de Madrid.

The African Football Confederation (CAF) along with Morocco’s Local Organizing Committee (LOC) unveiled Tuesday the venues that will host the matches of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), Morocco 2024 from 05-26 July, 2025.

Six stadiums in five cities will host the matches of this continental competition, scheduled from July 5 to 26, 2025, CAF stated on its website.

These are the Larbi Zaouli and Père Jégo Stadiums in Casablanca, the Olympic Stadium in Rabat, the El Bachir Stadium in Mohammedia, the Stade d’Honneur in Oujda, and the Municipal Stadium in Berkane.

“As seen across all CAF competitions over the last four years, the CAF WAFCON, Morocco 2024 is expected to build on the record-breaking success of its previous editions, with expectations to surpass past figures in stadium attendance, global broadcast viewership and engagement across digital platforms,” the CAF says in a press release. 

Twelve teams, divided into three groups, will participate in this competition. Morocco, the host country, has been placed in Group A, alongside Zambia, Senegal, and the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Group B includes Nigeria, Tunisia, Algeria, and Botswana, while Group C is composed of South Africa, Ghana, Mali, and Tanzania.

His Majesty King Mohammed VI, may God assist Him, sent a message of congratulations to the Moroccan football team following their triumph at the 2025 U-17 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).

“Following the Moroccan U-17 national football team’s victory at the 2025 AFCON—hosted by our country with generous hospitality and a warm welcome—it gives me great pleasure to extend my warmest congratulations on this well-earned African title,” HM the King wrote in the message.

“As I take great pride in congratulating you on this historic first-ever continental achievement, I highly commend the efforts made by all members of our young national team—emerging players, coaches, technical staff—as well as the officials and leadership of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, to secure this major title,” the Sovereign emphasized.

On this occasion, His Majesty the King lauded the brilliant journey of the Lion Cubs throughout the competition, their promising football talent and performances, strong competitive spirit and deep sense of patriotism, which enabled them to secure and retain the Cup on home soil, further reaffirming the prominent stature of Moroccan football on both the continent and global stage.

The Sovereign said He was deeply confident that this victory would be a great source of motivation and a model for young athletes and Moroccan youth to follow, with a view to persevering and striving for greater performances and awards in continental and international sporting competition, across all categories and disciplines.

HM the King implored the Almighty to guide the steps of the national team’s members, wishing them more accomplishments and success in their promising careers and assuring them of His high solicitude and benevolence. 

Royal Air Maroc (RAM) and the Confédération Africaine de Football concluded a strategic partnership agreement on Saturday in Casablanca, granting Morocco’s airline the status of “Official Global Partner” for the CAF.

Through this agreement, RAM becomes the official partner of the Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2025 and the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations Morocco 2024, scheduled from July 5 to 26, 2025, in addition to other major competitions.

With this partnership, Royal Air Maroc strengthens its commitment to African sports by facilitating the mobility of players, teams, and fans across the continent and around the world. To meet increased demand during CAF events, the airline will implement a new operational and commercial framework.

In this context, the national carrier announced a significant increase in its flight program, with capacity and service offerings tailored to meet the needs of supporters. This will be made possible through the expansion of RAM’s fleet during major sporting events, ensuring a wider selection of flights and destinations.

According to RAM, the flight program has been specifically designed to cater to fans residing in various participating African countries, while also making it easier for the African diaspora around the world to travel to Morocco.

In a press statement, CAF President Patrice Motsepe hailed this partnership a “historic moment” for African football and for the 54 member federations of the continental body, praising the airline’s “outstanding leadership.”

He underlined that the strategic partnership would help facilitate the travel of hundreds of thousands of African fans to the Kingdom for the CAN 2025. “We mentioned the figure of 500,000 visitors, but I’m convinced the number will be even higher,” he predicted.

The CAF President also praised Morocco’s remarkable progress in sports infrastructure, noting that “the stadiums, the pitches, and the facilities are of world-class standards,” which, in his view, promises an “exceptional edition” of the CAN scheduled for December.

Motsepe also highlighted Morocco’s upcoming hosting of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, stressing that these major events are part of a broader strategy to develop African football and elevate the continent to the level of the world’s top footballing nations.

For his part, Royal Air Maroc CEO Hamid Addou emphasized that the agreement reflects the airline’s “firm African commitment,” in line with the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, aimed at strengthening South-South cooperation and promoting African integration.

“This partnership represents a continuation of Royal Air Maroc’s actions, driven by the Royal Vision, to deepen ties with African countries and support the continent’s major sporting and cultural dynamics,” he stated. 

On the operational side, the RAM CEO announced a significant expansion of the airline’s African network, including plans to double flight frequencies to several capital cities across the continent to facilitate fan travel to Moroccan stadiums during the tournament. 

He added that the plan also extends to African diasporas in Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia, via RAM’s major international routes.

“We will launch special offers and tailored packages for fans, allowing them to attend matches in the best possible conditions,” he noted, adding that this commitment marks “the beginning of a new chapter in the growth and influence of African football.”

The signing ceremony was attended by key figures, including Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), CAF Executive Committee member, and CAF representative on the FIFA Council.

A meeting was held Thursday at the Interior Ministry to assess the progress of construction and rehabilitation work on stadiums in the six cities set to host matches of the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), scheduled for December 2025 (Rabat, Casablanca, Tangier, Fez, Marrakech, and Agadir). 

The meeting was an opportunity to review the related complementary urban upgrading programs, as part of the Kingdom’s ongoing preparations for this continental event. 

The preparation is progressing in accordance with the established timelines, the Interior Ministry noted in a press release, adding that all necessary measures have been taken to ensure the completion of the projects within the set deadlines.

In parallel with stadium-related works, the six cities have launched complementary programs aimed at improving urban mobility, upgrading urban infrastructure, redeveloping the surroundings of the stadiums, and preparing areas designated for welcoming visitors and organizing entertainment activities, with the goal of providing the best possible conditions to host delegations and fans.

Over 120 projects are currently underway across the six cities, and all measures have been taken to ensure their completion before next December, the same source added.

The organization of AFCON 2025 represents a strategic opportunity to strengthen the Kingdom’s international standing, highlight Morocco’s economic, cultural, and tourism assets, and inject new momentum into the national economy.