World Cup: Montreal’s Moroccan Community Buzzes Ahead of Morocco-Canada Match

The Morocco-Canada match for the 3rd day of the Qatar 2022 World Cup is highly anticipated in Montreal, where there is a large Moroccan community - about 37,360. Some Moroccans living abroad (MREs) intend to storm the cafes and bars of the city, especially "Petit Maghreb", located in a neighborhood north of downtown, to follow the match on Thursday, December 1, while others plan to stay home to experience this football moment.

Hassan Boulal, 50, says he prefers to follow the match in a downtown Montreal bar with about 100 other Canadians of Moroccan origin. "At the beginning of the tournament, I was supporting both Morocco and Canada," he told La Presse canadienne, regretting the elimination of the Reds. "It’s unfortunate because I wanted both countries to qualify for the next round because they are both my countries." Based on the experience of the Atlas Lions - several World Cup participations - Hassan is convinced that Morocco will beat Canada, who have returned to the competition after 36 years.

"I will support both teams because I feel as Canadian as Moroccan," said Abderrahman El Fouladi, 70, a Moroccan who arrived in Canada 31 years ago. Four of my children are 100% Canadian, so it’s hard for me to cheer for one team over the other." He has decided to watch at home, surrounded by his Canadian-Moroccan family. "I hope it will be a good and entertaining match, and whatever happens, Canada will be represented because the Moroccan goalkeeper, Yassine Bounou, was born in Montreal and is Canadian-Moroccan," added the septuagenarian.