Morocco Stops Funding African Football Competitions

Costs related to accommodation, security, and stadium maintenance discourage many African federations. Faced with a lack of compliant infrastructure on the continent, Moroccan leaders long compensated for the silence and withdrawals of their counterparts. But that era is over. FRMF president Fouzi Lekjaa pointed to the very low profitability of these sporting events. He explained that « the financial return of these events remains very low, almost negligible, given the expenses and resources they require ».

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This emergency assistance policy was notably illustrated with the African Cup of Nations for under-seventeen-year-olds organized at the Mohammed-VI complex, as well as hosting three consecutive editions of the women’s CAN. During an interview with the pan-Arab platform AJA-360, the leader clarified that he acted each time « because no other country wanted to host this competition ». The objective was never to seek any superficial preeminence, but rather to prevent the outright cancellation of these tournaments.

If the governing body had until now agreed to assume these material obligations alone without expecting financial compensation, it was primarily out of institutional solidarity with the Confederation of African Football (CAF). Saving youth categories was an absolute priority to guarantee the talent pool for tomorrow. According to Fouzi Lekjaa, « without genuine attention paid to young players, we will have no selection capable of competing in the African Cup of Nations tomorrow or of competing for World Cup qualification ».

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From now on, this hand systematically extended to the CAF is closing regarding the allocation of events. The decision marks the end of Morocco’s role as a backup country in the face of its neighbors’ material shortcomings. States wishing to host the next continental competitions will have to submit their own candidacies and fully assume their logistical responsibilities, with the Moroccan federation now simply wishing them complete success in this mission.