Jeune Afrique weekly wrote that on the eve of the launch of an exceptional edition of the African Cup of Nations (CAN) organized by Morocco, the Kingdom has already begun to reap the fruits of an unprecedented investment plan in football, as a tool to enhance “soft power.”
The magazine confirmed in an article entitled “Cannes 2025 in Morocco: A general preparatory station before the 2030 World Cup,” that the Kingdom has invested enormously in the Mohammed VI Football Academy, in developing sports infrastructure and modernizing stadiums.
The weekly noted that since the national sports debate in Skhirat in 2008, which constituted a strategic turning point for the sector, Morocco has made football a tool for its soft power, highlighting that the Kingdom “has since then responded to all symbols of its strong rise.”
In this regard, the magazine recalled the return of the “Atlas Lions” to the World Cup in the 2018 edition, and the historic achievement of reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup in Qatar 2022, the Olympic bronze medal in Paris 2024, and the World Under-20 title in 2025, leading to the joint organization of the 2030 World Cup with Spain and Portugal, which will mark the centenary of the competition.
Jeune Afrique stressed that “at the continental level, the Moroccan path is unparalleled, as Morocco has become the locomotive of African football,” noting that the Kingdom has succeeded in a few years in building and renovating stadiums at a record rate, redrawing the features of its cities and reviving a sense of national pride.
According to the author of the article, in addition to sporting ambition, the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations constitutes a “general preparatory station” in preparation for the 2030 World Cup, with the aim of improving capabilities at the level of infrastructure (sports, transportation, and accommodation) and refining the ability to manage events of global dimensions.
The magazine added that the continental event is witnessing “huge demand,” as at least 250,000 tickets have been sold since the end of October in 74 countries, while tickets for matches in Morocco and neighboring countries sold out within one to two hours.
Regarding stadium security, the magazine stated that Morocco “has previously put its experience in the field of intelligence exchange and site protection, which has been praised for its effectiveness, at the disposal of Qatar during the 2022 World Cup.”
