Football in Morocco

Football is the most popular sport in Morocco. The governing board for Moroccan football is the Royal Moroccan Football Federation.[1] Football in Morocco witnessed a great development in the last stage, which gained international fame, after the honor and representation of the honorable Moroccan team Raja in the 2013 FIFA Club World Cup, the FIFA international tournament hosted by Morocco when Raja Club Athletic reached the final match against the great German Bundesliga club Bayern Munich.[2] The most popular clubs in Morocco are Raja Casablanca, Wydad Casablanca and ASFAR.

Football in Morocco
Governing bodyRoyal Moroccan Football Federation
National team(s)national football team
National competitions
Club competitions
International competitions

Morocco national football team won the 1976 African Cup of Nations, two African Nations Championships and FIFA Arab Cup once. They have participated in the FIFA World Cup six times.[3][4][5] Their best result came in 2022, when they were the first African and Arab national team to reach the semi-finals at the FIFA World Cup.[6]

National competitions
Main article: Botola
Main article: List of football stadiums in Morocco
Main article: Botola 2
Main article: Amateur National Championship (Moroccan football)

Botola

Nationally, professional football is divided into 2 leagues: the top-tier GNF 1 and the second-tier GNF 2. Botola being the top-tier league. Only 19 out of 31 clubs managed to win the league: Wydad AC (22), Raja CA (12), ASFAR (12), Maghreb Fes (4), KAC Kenitra (4), Kawkab Marrakech (2), Hassania Agadir (2), Moghreb Tétouan (2), FUS Rabat (1), Olympique Khouribga (1), Racing de Casablanca (1), Renaissance de Settat (1), IR Tanger (1), Olympique de Casablanca (1), Mouloudia Oujda (1), CODM de Meknès (1), Chabab Mohammédia (1), Raja de Beni Mellal (1), Étoile de Casablanca (1).

Coupe du Trône
Main article: Moroccan Throne Cup

The Moroccan Throne Cup is a football cup competition in Morocco open to both professional and amateur squads. Only 18 clubs managed to win the cup: AS FAR (12), Wydad Casablanca (9), Raja Casablanca (8), FUS de Rabat (6), Kawkab Marrakesh (6), MAS Fès (4), Mouloudia Oujda (4), Olympique Casablanca (3), Olympique Khouribga (2), Chabab Mohammédia (2), Renaissance Berkane (2), Difaa El Jadida (1), KAC Kenitra (1), Renaissance de Settat (1), CODM Meknès (1), Racing Casablanca (1), TAS Casablanca (1), Majd Casablanca (1).

International competitions

Morocco men's national football team
Main article: Morocco national football team

The Morocco national football team, nicknamed Lions de l'Atlas (Atlas Lions), is the national team of Morocco and is controlled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. They were the first African team to qualify directly to the World Cup finals, as they did in 1970. They were the first African team to win a group at the World Cup, which they did in 1986, finishing ahead of Portugal, Poland, and England. Morocco fell to eventual runner-up West Germany 1-0 in the second round.[7] In 2022 Morocco finished top of Group F , ahead of Croatia,Belgium and Canada. At the Round of 16, they beat Spain in a penalty shootout, becoming the first Arab country to reach the quarter-finals. Then the Atlas Lions defeated Portugal by one goal becoming the first African and Arab team to reach the semi-finals.[8]

Morocco won the African Nations Cup once, in 1976.[9] They also won the African Nations Championship in 2018 and 2020, thus becoming the first nation to win back-to-back title.[10][11]

On 10 December 2022, Morocco defeated Portugal 1-0, thus becoming the first African and Arab national team to reach the semi-finals at the FIFA World Cup.[12][13][14]

Morocco women's national football team
Main article: Morocco women's national football team

The Morocco women's national football team represents Morocco in international women's football and is controlled by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation. The team played its first international match in 1998, as part of the 3rd African Women's Championship. On 14th edition of the Women's Africa Cup of Nations the Morocco women's national football team managed to secure a silver medal after a 2-1 loss against South Africa in the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations.[15] They also qualified for the 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup becoming the first Arab country to qualify for the FIFA Women's World Cup.[16][17]

Clubs

The Moroccan clubs are the second most titled in African competitions with 24 titles: 1 African Cup Winners' Cup, 2 CAF Cup, 7 CAF Confederation Cup, 7 CAF Champions League, 5 CAF Super Cup and 2 Afro-Asian Club Championship.

Largest Moroccan football stadiums
Image Stadium Capacity Opened City Club
Stade Mohamed V67,000[18]1955CasablancaMoroccan team
Raja Casablanca
Wydad Casablanca
Ibn Batouta Stadium65,000[19]2011TangerIR Tanger
Prince Moulay Abdellah Stadium60,000[20]1983RabatMoroccan team
FAR Rabat
Adrar Stadium45,4802013AgadirHassania Agadir
Marrakesh Stadium45,2402011MarrakechKAC Marrakech
Fez Stadium45,0002007FesMaghreb de Fès
Wydad de Fès

References
  1. Alami, Aida (2012-05-09). "Morocco Struggles to Rein in Soccer Hooligans". The New York Times. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  2. Cummings, Michael. "Raja Casablanca vs. Bayern Munich: Club World Cup Final Score, Grades, Reaction". Bleacher Report. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  3. "African Nations Championship". RSSSF. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  4. "African Nations Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  5. "Arab Cup". RSSSF. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  6. "More than half of Morocco's squad were born overseas. Will their success see more diaspora players follow?". ABC News. 12 December 2022.
  7. "World Cup Soccer Roundup : Morocco Gains the Second Round in a Stunner - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1986-06-12. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  8. "More than half of Morocco's squad were born overseas. Will their success see more diaspora players follow?". ABC News. December 12, 2022 – via www.abc.net.au.
  9. "BBC SPORT | Football | African Cup of Nations | Morocco rise again". BBC News. 2004-02-06. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
  10. "Hosts Morocco crowned CHAN champions". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  11. "Morocco defeat Mali 2-0 to retain Chan title | Goal.com". www.goal.com. Retrieved 2022-10-21.
  12. Blitz, Sam. "World Cup 2022: Morocco 1-0 Portugal: Youssef En-Nesyri scores winner as Cristiano Ronaldo exits Qatar tournament". CNBC. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  13. Ronald, Issy (2022-12-10). "Morocco becomes first ever African team to reach World Cup semifinals with historic victory over Portugal". CNN. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  14. "'Heart-warming': Morocco becomes first African team in WC semi-finals". euronews. 2022-12-10. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  15. "Can Morocco 'do something big' at Women's World Cup?". BBC Sport.
  16. "South Africa beat Morocco to win first Wafcon title". BBC Sport. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  17. Okogba, Emmanuel (2022-07-23). "South Africa beat Morocco to win first WAFCON title". Vanguard News. Retrieved 2022-09-26.
  18. "Stade Mohamed V – StadiumDB.com". stadiumdb.com.
  19. The Stadium currently has 65,000 after the renovation for hosting the FIFA Club World Cup 2022, construction has been finished as of 23rd January.
  20. "Complexe Sportif Moulay Abdallah - Rabat - the Stadium Guide".
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