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Fez — The Moroccan Innovation Circle organized the MIC Sports Forum at the Abla Ababou Gallery on December 22, bringing together leading figures from Moroccan and African sport for an evening of dialogue focused on governance, innovation, and long-term development.
Taking place in the strategic context of the “AFCON 2025,” the forum gathered club executives, coaches, educators, media professionals, and institutional leaders in a closed, invitation-only setting.
The event presented sport not only as competition, but as an industry, a cultural force, and a driver of economic and social development in Morocco and across the continent.
Football narratives, value creation, and youth engagement
The evening opened with a panel on the transformation of Moroccan football narratives and value creation, featuring Reda Laraichi, vice president of Rainbow World Group, alongside media figure Hicham El Khlifi. The discussion explored how Moroccan football can balance heritage with modern economic models, as well as the growing role of media, digital sport, and esports in engaging younger generations.
Speaking to MWN on the sidelines of the forum, Laraichi said the exchanges focused on “topics that relate to the youth in Morocco and how to leverage sports development,” noting that the conversation moved between the sports business dimension and the sport’s broader social role. The event’s goal was to showcase “the opportunities that we have in Morocco and in Africa in general,” he added.
Women’s football and pathways to excellence
A second panel in English centered on women’s football and excellence pathways. It brought together Bahia Ali El Himma, CEO of Sports Education Solutions, Bahia Yahmidi of AS FAR’s women’s football section, and Jorge Vilda Rodríguez, head coach of the Moroccan women’s national team.
Vilda described Morocco as “an amazing country with a lot of passion for football,” emphasizing that women’s football is “growing and growing.” Discussions at the forum focused on performance, values, and development criteria, he noted, adding that initiatives like the MIC Sports Forum help strengthen women’s football “in terms of quantity and quality,” particularly as Morocco looks beyond CAN 2025.
Governance, sustainability, and club transformation
The forum concluded with a panel on building a sustainable sports industry in Morocco, featuring Younes El Mechrafi, CEO of MDJS, and Jawad Ziyat, president of Raja Club Athletic. The discussion examined structured financing, modern governance, and long-term competitiveness at both club and national levels.
Addressing the audience, Ziyat explained Raja’s shift from a traditional association to a corporate structure, saying the club had “moved from the traditional association format to a limited company,” with the aim of securing stronger financial resources and professional management.
“The objective is not only to win one time and disappear,” he said, “but to be consistently on top of the African clubs in terms of ranking.” He added that Raja now operates with a clear business plan and capital base designed to sustain long-term success on the continental stage.
A strategic moment during CAN 2025
By convening the MIC Sports Forum during CAN 2025, the Moroccan Innovation Circle positioned the event as both symbolic and strategic.
Organizers said the forum reflects a broader ambition to turn major sporting moments into opportunities for reflection, policy thinking, and leadership building.
As Morocco continues to assert itself as a continental sports hub, the Rabat gathering underscored among participants the critical importance of off-the-field leadership and reforms.
They departed the Moroccan capital steeped in the belief that lasting sporting success will depend not only on results on the pitch, but on governance, education, innovation, and a clear long-term vision for sport in Morocco and across Africa.
