Qatar is hosting the first World Cup in the Arab world, but the Arab fans are only enthusiastic about Morocco. The North African country has applied for the World Cup several times in vain – and is planning the next attempt.
The quarter-finals at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar is one of the greatest successes for football in Africa. After Cameroon (1990), Senegal (2002) and Ghana (2010), Morocco is the fourth African team to reach a World Cup quarterfinals. What Morocco has not achieved so far is hosting a World Cup. Although the country is trying relentlessly.
Failed the 2026 application
In 2018, Morocco suffered another defeat. In the vote on the awarding of the 2026 World Cup, Morocco was clearly defeated by the joint bid from the USA, Canada and Mexico with 65:134. Morocco didn’t even get all the votes from Africa or all the votes from the Arab countries.
Morocco had spared little effort in the run-up to the 2018 vote. Even Lothar Matthäus was bought as an ambassador. “I support Morocco’s bid for the 2026 World Cup”Matthew said in a promotional video. “I believe that Morocco is a real football country.”
1994, 1998, 2006, 2010 – four failed attempts for Morocco
Morocco was not convincing at the FIFA Congress, winning the commercially and structurally more attractive bid, and the USA, Canada and Mexico were also clearly favored in the FIFA test reports. 5.0 points could be achieved there. Morocco managed 2.7, the USA, Canada and Mexico 4.0. It was particularly worrying for FIFA that a large part of the infrastructure in Morocco still had to be built.
“I congratulate my colleagues from the USA, Canada and Mexico and wish them all the best”said Fouzi Lekjaa. He is President of the Moroccan Football Federation and a member of the FIFA Council. He also works for the Moroccan Ministry of Finance – which FIFA has not objected to so far, despite the often invoked political neutrality of football. This is how Lekjaa continues to work: “I hope that one day we can make the dream come true and host the World Cup.”
Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Moroccan Football Federation
Morocco has been chasing this dream for a long time, and the country fell by the wayside in several awards:
- When awarding the 1994 World Cup Morocco lost 7:10 against the USA.
- When awarding the 1998 World Cup Morocco lost 7:12 to France.
- When awarding the 2006 World Cup Morocco was eliminated in the first ballot against England, South Africa and eventual winner Germany.
- At the awarding of the 2010 World Cup Morocco lost 10:14 to South Africa.
Several awards, such as the 2006 award to Germany, are still suspected of corruption. In 2010 in particular, Morocco felt disadvantaged because that year only African countries were allowed due to the rotation principle between the continents that was in force at the time. Morocco has also been accused of attempted bribery.
When the 2026 World Cup was awarded, there was an aftertaste. According to a report in “Welt am Sonntag”, FIFA is said to have at least tried to slow down Morocco’s bid in favor of those from North America by wanting to tighten the criteria. The attempt failed, but in the end Morocco was the loser.
Morocco: homosexuality illegal, freedom of the press restricted
In 2018, shortly after losing the 2026 tournament vote, Morocco announced a new 2030 bid. A joint application with Algeria and Tunisia is being considered – also because of the size of the tournament with 48 teams.
For Morocco’s King Mohammed VI. a World Cup is considered to be an aid to infrastructure development. Many stadiums were to be rebuilt for the World Cup and transport connections improved. However, the country also provides questionable framework conditions in terms of human rights: homosexuality is considered illegal and is punishable by imprisonment, which is even explicitly mentioned in the FIFA test reports for the 2026 World Cup. In Reporters Without Borders’ current press freedom ranking, Morocco ranks 135th – Qatar is 16 places higher.
Powerful competition for 2030 too
In addition, the competition for the 2030 tournament is top-class:
- There is a joint application from Europe Spain, Portugal and Ukraine.
- In 1930 the first World Cup took place in Uruguay, 100 years later Uruguay shared with Argentina, Paraguay and Chile be hosts in South America again.
- An intercontinental application from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Greece could boast of financial strength.
The FIFA Congress 2024 will decide on the awarding of the tournament. Morocco’s sporting dream is currently running in Qatar with the quarter-finals of the World Cup. The dream of hosting a World Cup tournament, on the other hand, is still a long way off.
