Morocco Aims for 2026 World Cup Title, Says FA President

The head of the Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Lekjaa, has confirmed Morocco's lofty objective of winning the 2026 World Cup. Morocco's national team made history by reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, finishing fourth for the first time in Arab and African football history.

Lekjaa voiced faith in Morocco's future, claiming that the team's mindset has progressed beyond simply competing at the World Cup.

"We broke the mental barrier previously when we used to say we are just aiming to participate, but when we reached the 2022 World Cup, we eliminated that barrier," Lekjaa said to Ole, an Argentine tabloid.

He went on to highlight their tight loss to France in the 2022 semi-finals, stating that, despite the setback, Morocco is now focused on winning the World Cup in 2026 rather than waiting until 2030. "We lost to France by a small margin, and now our mentality is to aim for the title in 2026," she said.

Morocco also hopes to qualify for the 2026 World Cup, which will be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada. This edition will have 48 teams for the first time in history.

Furthermore, the Moroccan FA is concentrating on arranging the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, with Lekjaa expressing optimism about the tournament's success.

"We are confident it will be the best edition in history," he told me. Lekjaa feels that the tournament will assist Morocco examine its organizational capacities, which will be critical in preparation for the 2026 World Cup.