Arab League Body Congratulates Morocco on 2030 World Cup Hosting

The Economic and Social Council of the Arab League on Wednesday congratulated Morocco on its official selection as a co-host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.

In a resolution adopted at its 115th session, the council urged Arab League member states to support Morocco in ensuring the tournament’s success and to rally behind Arab teams competing in the event.

The Moroccan delegation at the session was led by Mohamed Ait Ouali, Morocco’s ambassador to Cairo and its permanent representative to the Arab League, alongside officials from the Ministries of Economy, Finance, Industry, and Trade.

Discussions at the meeting covered the implementation of resolutions from the council’s previous session, as well as economic and social issues set to be addressed at the Arab League’s 34th summit in Baghdad.

Other agenda items included infrastructure and development plans for Yemen, progress on the Arab customs union, and investment initiatives across the region.

Morocco is ramping up preparations to ensure a world-class 2030 FIFA World Cup, driven by the leadership of HM King Mohammed VI, Spanish daily La Razon reported on Thursday.

“The historic feat of the Atlas Lions at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar has reignited hope and strengthened national pride, both on the pitch and in a country deeply passionate about football,” the newspaper wrote, emphasizing Morocco’s commitment to delivering a successful tournament while bolstering its global standing.

As part of its preparations, Morocco is modernizing sports infrastructure, upgrading transportation, and investing in skills training, La Razon noted.

The country is constructing the Hassan II Stadium in Casablanca, which will be the largest venue of the 2030 World Cup with a capacity of 115,000 seats. Existing stadiums in Rabat, Tangier, Fez, Agadir, and Marrakech are also undergoing renovations to meet international standards.

The report highlighted Morocco’s push to enhance its transport network, including extending the high-speed rail line to Marrakech and upgrading road infrastructure in Casablanca, the country’s economic hub.

In the healthcare sector, La Razon cited the construction of Africa’s largest hospital in Rabat and the expansion of Morocco’s major airports to boost their capacity ahead of the tournament.

The newspaper also noted that Morocco welcomed a record 17.4 million visitors in 2024, reinforcing its position as a leading tourist destination with ambitions to become Africa’s top travel hotspot by 2030.

Before co-hosting the World Cup with Spain and Portugal, Morocco will organize the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN), which La Razon described as “a full-scale test to showcase its capability in hosting major international events.”

Moroccan referees received their “FIFA Refereeing” badges on Wednesday at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Maamora. 

During the ceremony, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) president Fouzi Lekjaa stated that the growth of Moroccan football hinges on improving refereeing, a significant element of the national football system.

“We want our refereeing to be a key driver in the ongoing development of Moroccan football,” Lekjaa emphasized.

The FRMF president emphasized that the role of a referee is “delicate,” demanding firm and decisive judgment, while underscoring the crucial importance of ethics, values, the law, and technology in their performance. 

Thee event also honored retired referees for their long years of service in both national and international football.

The Mohammed V stadium will reopen by the end of March in a new setting befitting the history of this iconic football venue, the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa, announced on Thursday. 

“The redevelopment work is at a very advanced stage. Only a few weeks remain before completion. The complex will reopen at the latest by the end of March,” said Lekjaa, who conducted a field visit alongside the Wali of the Casablanca-Settat region, Mohamed Mhidia, the Governor of the Casablanca-Anfa district, Aziz Dades, and the President of Moroccan National Professional Football League (LNFP), Abdeslam Belkchour, to assess the progress of works at the stadium.  

In this regard, Lekjaa noted that the complex has been renovated to increase its seating capacity to over 44,000 spectators, adding that it has been equipped with all modern facilities, including upgraded locker rooms, a press tribune, and various spaces designed to ensure smooth public access.  

He emphasized that this football venue will be one of Casablanca’s major achievements, adding that as part of Morocco’s organization of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the city will also see the construction of the Hassan II Stadium in Benslimane, with a capacity exceeding 115,000 spectators.

The Arab Union for Sports Culture awarded, on Sunday in Doha, the “2024 Arab Sports Culture Honorary Prize” to the President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), Fouzi Lekjaa. 

The award was presented to Lekjaa during a ceremony held on the sidelines of the 5th Annual Conference on Sports Culture in the Arab World, held under the theme “Building an Olympic Champion.”  

Lekjaa received this award in recognition of his efforts, under the wise leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, to develop Moroccan football, both in terms of training and infrastructure. 

His contributions have led to remarkable achievements, most notably Morocco’s historic fourth-place finish at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, making it the first Arab and African nation to reach this stage. 

The award also acknowledges his key roles within continental and international organizations in advancing Arab and African football.

Morocco’s Bouchra Karboubi has been ranked the fifth best woman referee in the world by the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) as part of its 2024 Awards.

Karboubi was crowned Women’s Referee of the Year during the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony, held on December 16 in Marrakech. 

She was the first Arab woman to officiate an African Cup of Nations game as the main referee, at the 2023 AFCON in Côte d’Ivoire, and also took to the whistle at the 2023 Women’s World Cup, held in Australia and New Zealand. 

Karboubi also had the privilege of becoming the first woman to officiate a Botola Pro D1 first division football game, in addition to being appointed to referee the 2019-2020 Throne Cup final. 

Earlier this year, the Moroccan referee was awarded the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Creative Sports Award as “Best Arab Football Referee.”

England’s Rebecca Welch topped the IFFHS ranking of the world’s best women referees in 2024, ahead of France’s Stéphanie Frappart and Sweden’s Tess Olofsson.