FIFA President Infantino considers expanding World Cup to 64 teams after 2026
via Le Matin3 min read
FIFA President Gianni Infantino confirmed in an interview with Swiss media outlet blue Sport that FIFA will consider expanding the World Cup to 64 teams after the 2026 tournament. Infantino believes the previous expansion from 32 to 48 teams validated the principle of a more open World Cup and could be a step towards further evolution. He stated that the idea of a 64-team tournament would offer emerging nations a real opportunity to accelerate their progress, strengthen their football structures, and elevate the sport beyond traditional powerhouses. Infantino cited the performance of several African teams in the current edition as support for a less concentrated World Cup, emphasizing that the tournament is for the entire world, not just Europe and South America. However, the idea has met with skepticism from some, who fear a longer tournament with less competitive matches and an overabundance of unbalanced fixtures, arguing that the World Cup should remain a gathering of the international elite to preserve its intensity. Others believe the proposal is primarily commercially driven, suggesting more teams would mean more matches, TV rights, ticket revenue, and sponsorship deals, potentially diluting the sporting integrity for increased FIFA profitability. No decision has been made, but a 64-team World Cup for 2030, co-hosted by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, is now a possibility, pending further study and a final decision from FIFA bodies. Separately, Infantino thanked Morocco
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Twelve tiny metallic meteorite fragments have been discovered in sediments near Lake Isli, close to Imilchil in the High Atlas. This finding, approximately 600 meters from the lake, reopens a scientific debate spanning over a decade regarding whether the lake's depression was formed by a meteorite impact or a natural collapse of the limestone subsurface. The research was conducted by a team from Ibn Zohr University in Agadir, in collaboration with G. S. Senesi from the Italian Institute of Plasma Science and Technology in Bari. Their findings will be presented at the 88th annual meeting of the Meteoritical Society in Frankfurt from August 9 to 14, 2026. The fragments, measuring between 2 and 5 millimeters and weighing about one gram in total, were recovered from silt and chalk deposits. Electron microscopy and laser analysis revealed high concentrations of iron and nickel, along with cobalt, and traces of gallium, germanium, and iridium, consistent with iron meteorites. Some samples also showed an oxidation layer from rapid cooling and small imprints from atmospheric entry. The hypothesis of a meteoritic origin for Lake Isli was first proposed in 2012 and 2013, but was contested in 2014 and 2015 due to the absence of meteorite fragments around Lake Isli, unlike the nearby Agoudal site. Opposing researchers suggested a karstic collapse, where water dissolved limestone, causing the ground to sink and form a circular depression. The presence of these new fragments weakens a key
The summer transfer window is active for Moroccan international footballers. Yassine Kechta, a bronze medalist at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, has officially joined Legan茅s in the Spanish second division on a four-season contract after his contract with Le Havre ended. The 24-year-old midfielder, who made 128 appearances for Le Havre, scored 7 goals, provided 6 assists, and won a Ligue 2 title in 2023, will aim to revitalize his career with Legan茅s. Meanwhile, Ajax Amsterdam is reportedly pursuing Azzedine Ounahi, who impressed during the World Cup. According to Foot Mercato, Ajax has made the Moroccan international a priority for their midfield and has initiated discussions for a potential transfer. Ounahi, who played a key role in Morocco's journey to the quarterfinals and scored two goals against Canada, is under contract with Girona until 2030 with a release clause estimated at 25 million euros, which Ajax is reportedly trying to negotiate. Additionally, Noussair Mazraoui, another prominent player from the 2026 World Cup, has attracted interest from AC Milan. Italian journalist Matteo Moretto reports that AC Milan's new coach, Ruben Amorim, who previously coached Mazraoui, is particularly interested in the Moroccan defender's versatility across defensive positions. However, no negotiations have begun between Manchester United and AC Milan. Mazraoui is under contract with Manchester United until 2028, with an optional additional year, and remains an important player for M
Bank Al-Maghrib BAM has announced a reduction in the general cap for domestic electronic payment interchange fees from 0.65% to 0.5% excluding taxes, effective October 1, 2026. Additionally, a specific cap of 0.15% excluding taxes has been set for payments related to electronic government services e-Gov and transactions made with local merchants. Interchange fees are a component of the acquisition commission charged to merchants for accepting bank card payments. Bank Al-Maghrib emphasized that this acquisition commission is solely the responsibility of the merchant and cannot be passed on to the customer, regardless of the payment channel. For domestic electronic payment operations, interchange fees will not exceed 0.15% excluding taxes for e-Gov transactions, 0.15% excluding taxes for transactions with local merchants, and 0.50% excluding taxes for all other payment operations. Acquirers are required to provide Bank Al-Maghrib with their interchange fee schedules and commissions applied to merchants, along with all necessary reports to monitor compliance with this decision, according to the terms and schedule set by the Central Bank. Bank Al-Maghrib stated that the reduction in interchange fees is intended to be passed on by acquirers to the commissions applied to merchants for e-Gov operations and those conducted with local merchants.