🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Atlas Lions prepare for 2026 World Cup campaign
via Le Matin8 min read
The Atlas Lions are preparing to make new history for Moroccan football at the 2026 World Cup. National coach Mohamed Ouahbi has revealed an expanded list of 28 players called up for a crucial training camp at the Mohammed VI Football Complex from May 22 to 26. This gathering, which includes a closed-door friendly match, is the final rehearsal before the official announcement of the 26 Atlas Lions who will travel to the United States. This final stretch before the World Cup is a true laboratory for Ouahbi, who is determined to refine his final choices. The 49-year-old coach is banking on a winning chemistry, built around a golden generation that triumphed with the U20s in Chile, while also opening the door to players capable of shaking up the hierarchy and bringing decisive freshness. Ouahbi also analyzed the friendly match between Brazil and France, which provided valuable lessons for the national team's staff. The defeat of Brazil against France, a simple preparation setback, highlighted the ongoing work for Carlo Ancelotti's team. For Morocco, future opponent of the Seleção on June 13 at MetLife Stadium, this match served as a tactical laboratory.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Zakaria El Ouahdi, a defender for the Atlas Lions, has resolved an administrative issue that previously prevented him from traveling with the Moroccan team to the United States. He has now obtained the necessary travel authorization and is expected to join the team's base camp. His arrival will allow national coach Mohamed Ouahbi to have the full squad available for preparation ahead of the 2026 World Cup, where Morocco holds high ambitions following their historic performance in the 2022 edition in Qatar.
The Moroccan Ministry of National Education, Preschool and Sports is offering free airline tickets to Moroccan candidates admitted to the oral examinations for French engineering and business schools. This initiative aims to support equal opportunities and assist deserving students in their international academic pursuits. The measure applies to students currently enrolled in or who have completed their second year at preparatory centers for Grandes Écoles CPGE in Morocco and who have been invited to oral exams for the 2026 French competitive entrance exams. This includes exams like BCE and Ecricome for business schools, and X-ENS, Centrale Supélec, Mines-Ponts, CCINP, and Arts et Métiers for engineering schools. Candidates for the common INP CCINP exam must have a minimum average of 13.5/20. Interested candidates must pre-register via the "Concours français" section of the e-CPGE portal by June 9, 2026, at 2 PM. A commission comprising ministry representatives and the CPGE Maroc collective will select beneficiaries based on school rankings and written exam results. In case of ties for business schools, a draw may be held. Selected students have 48 hours to confirm acceptance of the ticket. Travel dates must be entered on the e-CPGE portal, and the e-ticket will be sent after visa confirmation. The ministry states that these complimentary tickets are non-refundable. This program seeks to reduce financial burdens associated with travel to France, enabling more Moroccan student
Morocco has been integrated into the target markets of the Project Development Programme PDP, a German-African energy cooperation initiative, since January. This recognizes Morocco as a promising emerging market for clean energy technologies. To prepare for a structured commercial offensive by German actors, the German Agency for International Cooperation GIZ is launching a comprehensive market analysis of climate-friendly energy solutions for the commercial and industrial C&I sector. This meta-study aims to synthesize existing data into concrete commercial opportunities for German solution providers. The investigation covers four technological areas: renewable electricity production, renewable and efficient process heat, energy efficiency in industrial systems, and green hydrogen, though the latter is marginal to this study's detailed scope. The study will identify Moroccan industrial and commercial sub-sectors with the highest technical and economic potential for adopting these technologies, focusing on energy cost structures and potential savings from large-scale deployment of renewable or energy efficiency solutions. Technologies examined include rooftop and ground-mounted solar photovoltaics with storage, self-consumption wind power, biomass and biogas systems, concentrated solar thermal, high-temperature heat pumps, and transversal energy efficiency technologies like high-performance motors, compressors, HVAC systems, and heat exchangers. The study will also map German
The 5th Annual Investor Conference aims to strengthen dialogue between listed companies and institutional investors, allowing companies to present their equity story, results, prospects, development projects, and strategic priorities. This event enhances transparency and information quality while fostering structured exchanges between Moroccan issuers and both local and international investors. Khadija El Moussily notes that investors approach the Moroccan market with increased caution due to geopolitical tensions, but without questioning its fundamentals. The MASI index showed resilience, with a slightly positive performance of +1.7% between February 27 and May 18, 2026, outperforming the CAC 40 and STOXX 600. Investors remain selective but value domestic fundamentals such as growth, investment visibility, earnings momentum, and a relatively solid macroeconomic framework. BKGR forecasts controlled inflation around +1.0% in 2026. A persistent external shock, such as sustained high oil prices, could increase imported inflation, impacting corporate margins, delaying monetary easing, and increasing investor selectivity. In such a scenario, the market would favor companies capable of preserving margins. Dounia Filali states that major projects, including those for the 2030 World Cup, are part of a long-term strategic vision and are not expected to be impacted by geopolitical tensions. Morocco's institutional stability, access to international financial markets, private sector mob