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Rabat – France, the first European country to back Morocco’s 2026 World Cup bid, is determined to rally support for the North African bid and promote it in the European sporting sphere.
On May 15, the Moroccan bid committee gave a presentation at a special event held in the French National Assembly. The France-Morocco Friendship Group, chaired by member of La République En Marche! Mustapha Laabid, organized the symposium.
The event was attended by high-level officials from the European Union and Morocco, including President of the National Foundation of Museums Mehdi Qotbi and Moroccan Ambassador Chakib Benmoussa, according to French news outlet Le Monde.
The Moroccan bid is fiercely fighting to win the hosting rights, despite the pressure and criticism in the international press, who tout the lack of infrastructure in Morocco and the readiness of the joint North American bid (US, Canada and Mexico).
World Cup in Morocco, beneficial for the world
“Morocco’s bid will be beneficial for all,” said Chairman of the Moroccan bid committee and Minister of Industry Moulay Hafid Elalamy. In Morocco, the distance between stadiums is far less than in North America, a major argument in Morocco’s favor that FIFA must take into account. Players can move between stadiums in just a few hours, unlike the “United 2026” bid.
Delivering his presentation in the France National Assembly, Elalamy said that fans will not face visa problems to attend the 2026 World Cup games and that FIFA will make “significant” business profits. He added that the World Cup will also benefit Morocco and Africa through accelerating development of the continent.
For Morocco’s bid committee, the World Cup in Morocco is the best choice for the world as the country holds the values of “peacemaking” and tolerance.”
Elalamy stated the World Cup in Morocco would cost USD 15.8 billion.
If Morocco Wins, Europe Wins
In April, France became the first European country to support the Moroccan bid.
Officials who attended the event also promoted the Moroccan bid. On March 15, Pascal Boniface, the director of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (IRIS), has heavily criticized US President Donald Trump and his country’s immigration laws.
“Can we welcome the whole world when we spit in the ace of the whole world,” said Boniface in reference to Trump’s ban on immigration from some Muslim-majority countries and his determination to build a wall between Mexico and the US.
Mustapha Laabid mentioned that Africa has only hosted the tournament once, in 2010 in South Africa, and emphasized that it is time for Africa to host the sporting event again. “If Morocco wins, it is Europe that wins,” concluded the chairman of the France-Morocco Friendship Group.
In less than 13 days, the FIFA task force will announce its assessment of whether the two bids have met the requirements to host the 23rd World Cup in 2026. Achieving eligibility will take the bidders to the final stage: the vote scheduled for June 13 in Moscow.
