Thanks to the leadership and far-sighted vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, Morocco has, over the past years, succeeded in building a strong and “successful” football model, Morocco’s Ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, said on Thursday in Washington.
“Morocco has invested in young talent, modern infrastructure, training centers, and world-class facilities such as the Mohammed VI Football Academy. The results on the pitch clearly demonstrate that this model works,” Ambassador Amrani stated during a panel discussion organized by the American think tank Atlantic Council under the theme: “Passing the Torch: Building the Legacy of the World Cup.”
Speaking about Morocco’s co-hosting of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, the ambassador emphasized that this global sporting event will allow Morocco to “show the entire world what it has accomplished and what it is capable of as a stable country, a trusted partner, and a natural bridge between Africa and Europe.”
“We want the 2030 World Cup to be an extraordinary tournament—for Morocco, for our partners Spain and Portugal, for Africa and Europe, and for the entire football community,” Mr. Amrani said during the event, which was attended by the ambassadors of Portugal and Spain to Washington, as well as German international footballer and philanthropist Antonio Rüdiger, President of the Antonio Rüdiger Foundation.
“We are ready to make the 2030 World Cup a historic success,” he assured participants during the conference, organized by the Atlantic Council’s Africa Center.
He added that the 2030 World Cup also represents “a unique opportunity to showcase African talent, innovation, creativity, and ambition.”
“The FIFA World Cup is not just a sporting event. It is also a national development project and a powerful economic driver,” the ambassador stressed.
For Morocco, he explained, the expected benefits are “enormous for our youth, our people, and our nation,” with accelerated investments in infrastructure, transportation, and other public services expected in the lead-up to the tournament.
Reflecting on the Atlas Lions’ highly commendable campaign at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the Moroccan diplomat noted that the national team leaves the competition “with immense pride.”
Beyond the results, he said, the tournament enabled Morocco to discover new talent, develop a new style of play, and demonstrate an extraordinary level of passion, commitment, and team spirit, while presenting the world with “a positive image of Morocco.”
“This team embodied the values that define modern Morocco—ambition, resilience, discipline, and unity. It also reflected the long-term vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, centered on investing in youth, talent, and human development,” Ambassador Amrani stated.
He also congratulated the U.S. and Mexican authorities, along with the various host cities, for helping make the tournament “such an extraordinary success.”
“The warm hospitality, the professionalism of the organization, and the passion for football displayed by everyone in the United States will remain with us for a long time,” he concluded.
Joining the event via videoconference, Andrew Giuliani, Executive Director of the White House Task Force for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, said that in just a few days, the World Cup torch would be passed to Morocco, Portugal, and Spain “in a spirit of friendship, confidence, and great enthusiasm for what lies ahead.”
He noted that the three countries will have the opportunity to leave their own “mark” on the FIFA World Cup, just as the United States, Mexico, and Canada did during the 2026 edition.
For her part, Spain’s Ambassador to Washington, Ángeles Moreno Bau, emphasized that co-hosting the 2030 World Cup will provide “a tremendous opportunity” for Spain to further strengthen its relations and exchanges with Morocco and Portugal across all sectors, while praising the excellent quality of ties among the three nations.
Meanwhile, Portugal’s Ambassador to the United States, Francisco Duarte Lopes, affirmed that the three co-hosting countries are fully prepared to welcome the next edition of football’s premier global event, which promises to be another outstanding success.
Le7tv Newsroom