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FIFA unveils immersive 360-degree pre-match ceremony for 2026 World Cup
via Le Matin2 min read
FIFA has announced a new pre-match ceremony format for the 2026 World Cup, designed to enhance visibility and fan engagement. The stadium will transform into a 360-degree stage, ensuring all spectators can view the ceremony. Giant banners, flags, and visual elements representing the two competing nations will be placed on the field. Players will enter the pitch with children from the youth program, passing through an arch near their tunnel. A large banner will be installed in the center circle, where both teams will gather for the national anthems. A significant change is that all players from both teams, not just the starting eleven, will be present in the center of the field for the national anthems. FIFA President Gianni Infantino believes this new ceremony will strengthen unity among players, referees, and fans, creating a moment of unity, pride, and emotion. Following the anthems, traditional rituals will resume, including handshakes, official team photos, and the coin toss by the captains. For later stages of the competition, FIFA plans to incorporate additional visual effects, such as colored smoke and pyrotechnics, to further amplify the pre-match ceremonies.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Curtiss-Wright Surface Technologies, a division of the American industrial group Curtiss-Wright, is establishing operations in Morocco following an agreement signed at the Farnborough International Airshow 2026. This move aims to develop local surface treatment capabilities in the Grand Casablanca region for aerospace industry players in the Kingdom, further strengthening Morocco's aerospace ecosystem. The project seeks to enhance national industrial skills in specialized processes, elevate the Moroccan aerospace value chain, and solidify the Kingdom's position as a competitive industrial platform for major international aerospace programs. Ray Lopuc, Senior Vice President and Head of the Metal Improvement Company division at Curtiss-Wright Surface Technologies, expressed enthusiasm for the agreement, noting it marks the group's first entry into the African continent via Morocco and that they plan to expand activities beyond Casablanca. Ali Seddiki, Director General of the Moroccan Agency for Investment and Export Development AMDIE, stated that the agreement confirms the maturity of Morocco's aerospace ecosystem and indicates the presence of a significant volume of high-value critical aerospace parts in the country. This follows major projects launched under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, including the Safran landing gear project, which will generate a large volume of critical parts to be processed by Curtiss-Wright. Curtiss-Wright Corporation, founded by avi
Morocco registered 42,905 new businesses during the first five months of 2026, according to the Moroccan Office of Industrial and Commercial Property OMPIC. Legal entities accounted for 75% of these new registrations, an increase from 71% in the same period of 2025, highlighting their growing importance in the national entrepreneurial landscape. The Casablanca-Settat region led in legal entity creations with 39.3%, followed by Rabat-Salé-Kénitra 14.3%, Marrakech-Safi 12.8%, and Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima 10.4%. These four regions collectively represented 76.8% of legal entity registrations. For individual businesses, Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceima was at the forefront with 21.1% of registrations, ahead of Casablanca-Settat 13.4% and the Oriental region 10.7%. The Limited Liability Company with a Single Partner SARL AU remained the most favored legal structure, making up 65.5% of newly established businesses, followed by the Limited Liability Company SARL at 33.6%. The trade sector continued to be the primary activity for new businesses, with other significant sectors including construction and public works, services, transport, industry, and hospitality-catering. Additionally, OMPIC issued 56,618 negative certificates by the end of May 2026, a document confirming the availability of a trade name, which is a prerequisite for business creation.
A recent annual report by Bank Al-Maghrib reveals that nearly 3 million Moroccans aged 15 to 29 are not engaged in employment, education, or training, underscoring persistent weaknesses in the labor market. This figure includes not only unemployed youth but also those not actively seeking work. For the 15-24 age group, 23.2% are in this situation. The report indicates that less than four out of ten working-age individuals were employed in 2025, with only 177,000 of 407,000 new working-age individuals entering the job market. The unemployment rate for 15-24 year olds rose to 37.2% in 2025, a 0.5 point increase, contrasting with a 0.8 point rise in activity for the 25-34 age group. Urban areas saw nearly half of active youth unemployed at 48%, while rural areas experienced an increase to 22.7%. The majority of the 1.6 million unemployed in 2025 were under 35, with 15-24 year olds accounting for 30.5% and 25-34 year olds for 45.7%. Over half of the unemployed 52.9% were first-time job seekers, and 64.8% had been seeking employment for over a year. Despite the creation of 193,000 jobs in 2025, primarily in non-agricultural sectors services, construction, industry, and a 4.9% economic growth, job creation remains insufficient to absorb new entrants and significantly reduce unemployment. The report also highlights job fragility, with only 54% of salaried workers having a contract and 68.4% of workers lacking medical coverage. Bank Al-Maghrib emphasizes the need to improve youth pre