Morocco is also a country preparing to host the next World Cup. Following the Qatar World Cup, the FIFA Executive Committee meeting on October 4, 2023, awarded the joint hosting rights of the 2030 World Cup to Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.
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Morocco made its presence in world football proud with a spectacular performance at the Qatar World Cup 2022. Moroccan football, which returned from Qatar in fourth place, is continuing to dominate the ongoing World Cup.
Morocco is currently playing co-hosts Canada at Houston Stadium to reach the quarter-finals.
Morocco qualified for the last 16 by defeating the Netherlands 3-2 in a tiebreaker. Canada secured a meeting with Morocco by defeating South Africa 1-0.
Morocco is also a country preparing to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. After the Qatar World Cup, the FIFA Executive Committee meeting held on October 4, 2023, awarded the joint hosting rights of the 2030 World Cup to Morocco, Spain and Portugal. Morocco is an African country, while Spain and Portugal are European. The upcoming edition of the World Cup is being held on the soil of two continents for the first time.
World Cup hosting rights coordinator Mouad Hajji said that the 2030 World Cup is an opportunity to showcase the best joint African-European model. “The journey to 2030 may be challenging, but the potential is immense,” he said in the capital, Rabat, while addressing the 87th Congress of the world’s sports journalists’ association AIPS last year. Hajji also said Morocco was undergoing an unprecedented transformation in its football infrastructure. He described the joint hosting of the World Cup with Spain and Portugal as a long-term strategic vision based on sustainable investment, talent development and international engagement. “This is not just a joint hosting proposal, it will be an integrated vision for an extraordinary World Cup that will shape the future,” Hajji said. He also pledged to use the 2030 World Cup as an opportunity to increase the country’s global sporting and diplomatic influence. Morocco has fought a long battle to host the World Cup. It was the first to bid in 1994. The United States won with 10 votes, while Morocco lost with 7 and Brazil lost with 2 votes. Morocco, which had put forward a bid for the 1998 World Cup, had to hand over the hosting rights to France by a 12-7 margin.
Morocco's third attempt for 2006 was unsuccessful and Germany won the hosting rights. But Morocco did not back down from its claim to host the World Cup. It also put forward a bid for 2010. While South Africa got the chance to host it. Which was the first World Cup held in an African country. Morocco and Egypt, both from Africa, were behind in the hosting rights.
This is how Morocco's struggle for the hosting rights ended. Morocco is showing the same impact on the field. As Hajji said, Moroccan football is undergoing a transformation.
The World Cup, which is being held in three countries including the United States, has maintained its momentum in 2026. Morocco qualified for the last 16 by defeating three-time runners-up Netherlands 3-2 on a penalty shootout. The match went to a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in regulation and extra time.
The last 16 will begin with the match between Morocco and host Canada. Four years ago, Morocco and Canada were in the same group at the Qatar World Cup. Morocco won 2-1.
Morocco's fourth-place finish at the 2022 Qatar World Cup in its seventh World Cup was a huge success. Where it beat the world's most powerful football stars. After losing 2-1 in the third-place match against Croatia, Morocco ended its Asian World Cup journey in fourth place.
At that time, Morocco played a goalless draw with Croatia in the group stage. Morocco, who created a sensation by defeating France 2-0 in the semi-finals, Portugal 1-0 in the quarter-finals and Spain 3-0 on a tiebreaker in the last 16, had a 2-0 victory over Belgium in the group stage.
This time, Morocco drew 1-1 with Brazil in the group stage, defeated Sweden 1-0 and Haiti 4-2 to travel to the knockout stage undefeated.
Captain Achraf Hakimi, Hakimi Ziyech, Youssef N'Nasseri, Randal Kolo Muni, Zakaria and other players shone in Qatar. Ismail Saberi, who plays for PSV Eindhoven this time, is making an impact. He scored 1-1 against all three teams in the group stage. Saberi scored the decisive penalty in the tiebreaker against the Netherlands in the group stage. While captain Achraf Hakimi also missed a penalty.
