Morocco will face Niger in their 2026 World Cup qualifier at the newly-built Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium in Rabat, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) has confirmed.
The match is scheduled for Friday, September 5, with kick-off at 8:00 pm Morocco time. Walid Regragui’s team need just one point to secure qualification for the finals.
It will be the national side’s first match at the stadium since it underwent major renovation works. The upgrades included the pitch, infrastructure and facilities for fans and the media.
FIFA president Gianni Infantino visited the complex in July and described it as a “jewel of world football.”
On Instagram he said: “This stadium is definitely one of the most modern, efficient and beautiful arenas in the World projecting Morocco at the elite of the global game.”
He added: “A football stadium today is much more than just a place to play football. It is a symbol for a country and a place to unite people, and this particular stadium is already a true jewel, showing the modern Morocco, a country projecting itself into the future and choosing football to unite the world.”
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During his visit, Infantino also inaugurated FIFA’s Africa regional office at the Mohammed VI Football Complex in Salé, calling it “a historic moment, a festive and joyful day that will be engraved in golden letters in the history of FIFA and football in Africa, in Morocco, and around the world.”
CAF president Patrice Motsepe, who attended the ceremony, said: “There could not be a better place to establish this office.”
FRMF president Fouzi Lekjaa underlined Morocco’s ambition to become a hub for development. “Morocco has been and will remain your second home. We will continue working together for comprehensive development, which naturally includes advancing football for boys and girls, in line with the values of openness and tolerance,” he said.
The Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium is one of the key venues Morocco is preparing for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations and the 2030 World Cup, which it will co-host with Spain and Portugal.
The rebuilt arena will have a football-specific design with a capacity of 68,700. Work is due to finish in late 2025, with further upgrades continuing at the Grand Stade de Tanger, Stade de Fès, Grand Stade Hassan II in Benslimane, Grand Stade d’Agadir and Grand Stade de Marrakech.
