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Marrakech – Morocco is establishing itself as a football powerhouse in Africa, with the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) showcasing the North African country’s growing influence in the sport. The tournament runs from July 5-26, marking Morocco’s second consecutive hosting of the event, with rights already secured for the 2026 edition as well.
According to BBC Sport Africa, this represents just a fraction of Morocco’s wider aspirations in continental and global football, with King Mohammed VI taking active interest in these developments. The nation aims to improve on its previous tournament performance, where the Atlas Lionesses finished second in 2022.
“The next WAFCON will generate even more enthusiasm,” Mehdi El Qaichouri, coach of top-flight women’s side FUS Rabat, told the British broadcaster. “It might trigger young girls to start playing officially or dream of being a professional and, why not, one day be part of our national team.”
FUS Rabat trains near Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium, which attracted an African record crowd of 50,000 at the 2022 WAFCON final where Morocco fell 2-1 to South Africa. While AS FAR currently dominates with their 12th title, El Qaichouri anticipates increased competition ahead.
“It is the will of the club, the whole country and His Majesty the King to develop women’s football in Morocco,” he added in the BBC interview. “The project is quite fresh and the desire is there. More and more clubs are opening women’s sections. That’s a big strength.”
FUS goalkeeper Kawtar Bentaleb, who helped Morocco become continental futsal champions this year, observed the transformation in comments to the BBC: “It didn’t use to be given any attention. [Tournaments] being hosted in Morocco, whether it’s for women or men, will make us progress.”
“Younger generations really have all the infrastructure and support they need to develop themselves. I urge them to take full advantage of all the structures put in place, because they can only benefit,” Bentaleb stated to the British news organization.
Billions poured into Morocco’s sporting future
The BBC notes that beyond WAFCON, Morocco is preparing to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) beginning in December. Major investments are directed toward infrastructure as the country also prepares to co-host the 2030 FIFA World Cup.
The British media outlet reports that plans include expanding airport capacity from 38 million to 80 million passengers in the next four and a half years, and extending high-speed train networks to Marrakech and further south to Agadir. Some 45 stadiums and training facilities are undergoing renovation or expansion.
The most prominent project, according to the BBC report, is the construction of the 115,000-capacity Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca.
“Morocco is not like it used to be – it is developing at a very fast rate,” one visitor to a souk in Rabat told the BBC. “They’ve been building multiple projects and making sure the infrastructure is ready. Now things are being built faster so [God willing] it will all be ready on time for AFCON and for the World Cup.”
David Azuelos, who owns a guest house in Rabat, expressed optimism about tourism prospects in his interview with the British broadcaster: “We’d like to welcome people from all over the world and people who don’t know Morocco. Since the announcement of future events, everyone’s into sport and football. We hope the women’s tournament will have as much impact as the men’s.”
BBC resorts to Western tropes but admits Morocco’s football rise
The BBC Sport Africa coverage can’t resist pointing out that Casablanca’s Grand Stadium alone carries a $500 million price tag—framing it as an extravagant splurge while some communities are still recovering from the Al Haouz earthquake in 2023.
High taxation rates contribute to funding these ambitious national projects, the BBC claims with its usual condescending tone, harping on the 37% tax imposed on annual personal income over MAD 180,000 ($18,000).
Predictably, the British broadcaster parrots Amnesty International’s tired accusations, peddling a narrative of “relentless repression” and “criminalization” of dissent. This familiar Western posturing conveniently ignores Morocco’s remarkable progress, choosing instead to smear the country with sensationalist clichés that reek of hypocrisy and a colonial reflex to lecture others.
The report suggests the King’s passion for football and World Cup-related projects influences public discourse. BBC Sport Africa also notes that in February, a trade union official criticized government policies for “widening economic disparity” in Morocco, where recent census data revealed 21.3% unemployment.
Despite these challenges, the investment in football development could prove worthwhile if the Atlas Lionesses secure the WAFCON trophy in Rabat on July 26, according to the BBC.
“In the last four years, I feel like I’ve seen a shift in the change of investment, in taking women’s football seriously, not only in Morocco but across Africa as well,” forward Rosella Ayane told the BBC’s Africa Daily podcast.
“Morocco is really leading the way. The football centre in Rabat (the Mohammed VI Complex) is probably one of the best around the world. It’s like anything in life. [If] you invest your time, money and resources, then it’s only going to improve,” Ayane concluded in the BBC interview.
