🇲🇦MoroccoNorth Africa
Mexico defeats South Africa 2-0 in 2026 World Cup opener
via Le Matin1 min read
Mexico secured a 2-0 victory over South Africa in their opening match of the 2026 World Cup. Julián Quiñones scored the first goal in the 9th minute. South Africa's Yaya Sithole was sent off in the 49th minute, reducing the Bafana Bafana to ten players. Raúl Jiménez extended Mexico's lead in the 67th minute. Later in the game, South Africa's Themba Zwane received a red card in the 84th minute, and Mexico's captain Cesar Montes was also sent off. This win gives the host nation its first three points of the tournament. In another Group A match, South Korea defeated the Czech Republic 2-1.
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More than 20,000 new individual Moroccan investors entered the Casablanca Stock Exchange in 2025, according to the fifth edition of the "Capital Market in Figures" report by the Moroccan Capital Market Authority AMMC. The number of active individual Moroccan clients of brokerage firms increased from 11,931 investors in 2024 to 32,002 in 2025, a 168% rise. These investors now constitute 91% of brokerage firms' total clientele. By the end of 2025, the market had 35,287 active clients, up from nearly 14,600 the previous year, indicating a renewed interest in stock market investments. The total number of securities accounts reached 401,169 by the end of 2025, with resident individuals holding 90% of these accounts. The year 2025 saw a significant increase in activity on the Casablanca market, with the overall trading volume growing by 63% to 161.1 billion dirhams. The central market's activity surged by 98.2% year-on-year. The market's liquidity ratio also improved from 12.5% in 2024 to 14.2% in 2025. Despite the rise in individual investors, institutional investors continue to dominate equity market trading. Moroccan legal entities accounted for 34% of traded volumes, followed by Undertakings for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities UCITS at 30%. Moroccan individuals held a significant 26% of traded volumes, confirming their growing involvement. Foreign investors maintained a stable presence, representing 5% of exchanged flows, with their share of capitalization, inc
The Royal Moroccan Football Federation FRMF confirmed the withdrawals of Abdessamad Ezzalzouli and Nayef Aguerd from the 2026 World Cup squad ahead of Morocco's match against Brazil. Ezzalzouli will miss the tournament due to a right knee sprain with a high-grade lesion of the medial collateral ligament. He expressed disappointment on social media but also determination to return stronger, wishing his team success. Aguerd's medical recovery is progressing, but he will not be fit enough to participate in the group stage. He clarified on social media that his absence is not due to a relapse, but a joint decision with the staff, as his current performance level is not 100% for the competition. He stated he would be the team's biggest supporter. To replace them, the FRMF announced that Amine Sbaï and Marwane Saâdane, who were previously reserves, have been added to the final 26-player roster by national coach Mohammed Ouahbi.
Flynas will introduce a weekly direct flight between Rabat and Jeddah, commencing July 4. This new service complements the existing direct route between Casablanca and Jeddah, which began in 2023 with three flights per week. The expansion aims to provide travelers with greater flexibility and address the increasing demand for travel between the two countries. This initiative aligns with Flynas's strategy to connect the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with the rest of the world and further its growth in the African market. These new connections contribute to the National Civil Aviation Strategy's goals of reaching 330 million passengers and linking the Kingdom to 250 international destinations by 2030. They also support the Pilgrim Experience Program by facilitating the arrival of Umrah pilgrims and visitors to the Holy Sites via King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah. Passengers can book tickets through Flynas's booking channels, including its website, mobile application, call center, or travel agencies.