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Rabat – Hassan Samrhouni, a prominent Moroccan-American community leader and former international football player, has issued an open appeal to the Moroccan Parliament calling for a formal national dialogue on foreign investment in the country’s sports sector, specifically football.
In a letter he addressed to the parliament today, highlighting the discrepancy between Morocco’s highly progressive general investment laws and the current regulatory that limits the financial growth of domestic football clubs.
Bridging the gap
Samrhouni’s argument centers on Morocco’s modern Investment Charter (Law 03-22). Under Article 155 of the charter, the kingdom provides protections for foreign investors, including the right to fully owning a business, guaranteed by national treatment, and the free transfer of capital and profits.
While these clear legal guidelines have successfully triggered massive foreign direct investment (FDI) in manufacturing, technology, and tourism, noting that the sports ecosystem has yet to benefit from the same level of institutional clarity.
“Morocco has successfully attracted foreign investment in industries like manufacturing, tourism, and technology, yet football still lags behind,” Samrhouni stated in his letter.
Safeguarding club identity and sovereignty
A lifelong supporter and former player for Casablanca’s Wydad Athletic Club (WAC), Samrhouni emphasized that introducing a clear framework for foreign capital is not a push toward reckless privatization or a threat to national heritage. Instead, he described the proposal as a necessary step to modernize club governance and unlock commercial potential ahead of major international tournaments.
“This is not about privatization or relinquishing sovereignty; it is about ensuring that football, like other sectors, thrives on a foundation of secure investment laws,” the letter reads.
His call comes at a time of growing discussion within Moroccan sports regarding club independence and valuation.
Supporters across the Botola Pro 1 have increasingly voiced a desire for transparent models that allow teams to attract international sponsors and private shares without falling into ambiguous “semi-public” structures that cap a club’s true economic value.
Turning point
With Morocco increasingly positioned under the global sporting spotlight, the financial infrastructure and supporting local clubs has become a priority for sports analysts and policymakers.
Samrhouni is urging Parliament to convene a panel of legal and economic experts to establish a transparent, stable regulatory framework specifically for sports entities.
According to the appeal, the clear legal pathway would provide international investors with the institutional confidence required to inject capital into Moroccan football securely and safely positioning the sports alongside the nation’s growing economic sectors.
