Morocco’s Atlas Lions Named Best African National Team 2023 After World Cup Success

This award was given to the Moroccan team for its historic feat at the 2022 Qatar World Cup where it reached the semi-finals, becoming the first African team to reach this level of the competition. It is a "well-deserved" award for the Atlas Lions who have honorably represented the kingdom and the continent during this World Cup, said Hamza El Hajoui, first vice-president of the Moroccan Football Federation, after receiving the award from the Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports, Achraf Sobhy.

Other prizes were also awarded by the UCSA during this gala evening. The Egyptian Minister of Youth and Sports received the award for Best Service Rendered to African Sport. Liberian George Weah was named International Football Star of Africa, while the award for Best African Sports Figure went to Senegalese Fatma Diouf Samoura, former FIFA Secretary General. South African Sam Ram Sami, President of the African Swimming Confederation, was named Best African Sports Administrative Manager.

The award for Best African Club went to Egypt’s Al-Ahly, that of Best African Confederation to CAF, Best African Athlete to Senegalese Sadio Mané and Best African Sportswoman to Tunisian Ons Jaber. The evening was also an opportunity for UCSA to discuss several topics such as "The media and corruption in sport", "Corruption prevention", "Artificial Intelligence technologies and their applications in sport" and "Governance of sports bodies".