​Morocco has the potential to emerge as a powerhouse in world football. It’s a bold claim, yet Welshman Neil Ward has seen firsthand the depth of the country’s passion and the seriousness of its plans. After serving as chief executive at the Football Association of Wales Trust, Ward left Wales in 2020 to become the Royal Moroccan Football Federation’s director of technical operations. He was in Rabat when Morocco became the first African nation to reach the World Cup semi-finals a couple of years later, and he witnessed how the moment captivated the whole city, extending into the early hours of the morning, even drawing the king into the celebrations. Although the Atlas Lions were eliminated by France, they are now pursuing another historic run as they prepare to face Les Bleus again on Thursday at 21:00 BST, with a place in the last four at stake. Whichever way that match ends at the Boston Stadium, it seems clear that Morocco, as co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup, are far from finished.
Another Briton, Simon Jennings, understands this sentiment perhaps better than most. In addition to delivering the UEFA Pro Licence and A-licence as a coaching educator, he oversaw youth development across Morocco from 2020 to 2024. “This is no accident,” he said. “It’s the result of a clear national ambition.” The rise of Moroccan football is a story of deliberate strategy and sustained investment, under the aegis of King Mohammed VI. Significant sums have been allocated to a state-of-the-art training facility, a national academy, regional training centres, stadium redevelopments, and thousands of amateur pitches. “You need those top facilities for players who are accustomed to high standards in Europe,” Ward observed. “When you walk into a training facility of this calibre, it shows that these people are serious and determined to be successful.”
Yet the push for funds has sparked calls from youth protests to redirect money toward education, healthcare, housing, transport, and job creation. In response, the royal palace has pledged to allocate the equivalent of £11.2 billion in the 2026 budget to health and education, a 16% year-on-year increase. For Ward, who served with the RMFF from 2020 to 2024, the logic behind Morocco’s football investment is clear: it’s about tapping into the country’s passion for the game and projecting soft power on the international stage by proving they can compete at the highest level.
There has been a notable shift in mindset. Heading into the 2022 World Cup, Morocco had only reached the knockout stages once before, progressing to the last 16 in 1986. Yet even before the first ball was kicked in Qatar, former manager Walid Regragui told his players that they were not merely traveling to play three group games. They were there to accomplish something significant. Morocco has possessed the talent needed to achieve that, aided by their diaspora, and the nation’s broader strategy has been crafted to maximize such potential. This blend of talent, infrastructure, and international outreach positions Morocco to continue rewriting its football history as it eyes further competitive milestones on the global stage.