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Join on Telegram Rabat – Fouzi Lekjaa, President of Morocco’s Royal Football Federation (FRMF), has received the 2024 Appreciation Award for his contributions to developing Moroccan football.
The Arab Association for Sports Culture awarded Lekjaa the prize on Sunday in Doha on the sidelines of the fifth Annual Arab Sports Culture Congress. The event was held under the theme “Building the Olympic Champion.”
The award celebrates Lekjaa’s efforts to elevate Moroccan football, both in terms of training and infrastructure.
His efforts contributed to the national team’s fairytale run during the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The Atlas Lions emerged as the tournament’s underdogs and managed to defy all odds and beat some of the world’s football giants like Spain, Portugal, Belgium.
In addition, the team became the first Arab and African team to reach the World Cup’s semi-finals. The squad’s heroics were widely celebrated across the world.
This global momentum the country was enjoying paved the way for more achievements, with the country winning hosting rights for major tournaments.
Read also: Fouzi Lekjaa: Morocco Is Well Positioned to Host Key Matches in 2030 World Cup
Morocco is set to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) later this year and the 2030 World Cup alongside Spain and Portugal.
Lekjaa recently revealed preparations for the major tournaments, which include upgrading already existing stadiums in major cities and the construction of the Hassan II stadium in Benslimane. The latter is vying to host the opening and final of the 2030 World Cup, alongside the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid and the Camp Nou in Barcelona.
Work on these projects is set to intensify after the 2025 AFCON, according to Lekjaa. He also outlined the country’s plan to modernize key airports, including Mohammed V Casablanca, and transform it from a traditional airport that handles point to point flights to a “hub airport” that operates as a connecting point.
Other projects address other key areas like accommodation, security, and infrastructure, among others.
