馃嚥馃嚘MoroccoNorth Africa
Morocco and Brazil ambassadors discuss football diplomacy ahead of World Cup match
via Le Matin5 min read
Ahead of the highly anticipated match between Morocco and Brazil in the FIFA 2026 World Cup, the ambassadors of both countries in Washington, Youssef Amrani of Morocco and Maria Luisa Ribeiro Viotti of Brazil, participated in a 90-minute discussion on "The Power of Sport in Diplomacy." The event was organized by the American think tank Atlantic Council. Both ambassadors highlighted that the people of Morocco and Brazil are united by a shared passion for football, emphasizing that the relationship between the two nations has strong potential for further strengthening due to their convergences and economic complementarities. Ambassador Amrani spoke about sport as a tool for influence, fostering connections between people, and enhancing nations' international presence. He stated that football is a universal language capable of transcending borders, cultures, and divisions. He shared that after nearly fifty years in diplomacy, he has learned that football can open doors and build connections in 90 minutes that diplomacy sometimes takes years to achieve. Amrani also praised the United States' preparations for the 2026 World Cup, noting its symbolic timing with the 250th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Morocco and the United States. He also highlighted the historical significance of the 2030 World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal, positioning Morocco as a link between Africa, Europe, the Atlantic, and the Mediterranean. Amrani further elaborated o
Free daily or weekly digest of the most important stories from across 18 African countries. No spam, unsubscribe any time.
This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
Must ReadFIFA and its President Gianni Infantino are strongly considering expanding the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams, a significant increase from the current 48-team format. This proposal, supported by CONMEBOL President Alejandro Dom铆nguez, aims to celebrate the centenary of the first World Cup in Uruguay in 1930. The expansion would allow Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay to host full group stage matches rather than just symbolic games. Infantino's strategy of global expansion, bolstered by the economic and media success of the 48-team format, aligns with this ambition, especially as he approaches a new presidential campaign for 2027-2031. The Confederation of African Football CAF and the Asian Football Confederation AFC also support the move, anticipating increased representation for their national teams. The potential expansion to 64 teams would profoundly impact the joint bid by Morocco, Spain, and Portugal. Originally designed to host most of the competition after three inaugural matches in South America, the Moroccan-Iberian organization would need to revise its logistics. The addition of 16 more teams would bring the total to 128 matches, requiring more stadiums, increased hotel capacity, and significantly higher organizational costs for the three host countries. To honor commitments to CONMEBOL, FIFA is exploring the possibility of entrusting several full groups to Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay, transforming Montevideo, Buenos Aires, and Asunci贸n into major competition center
Abde Ezzalzouli, a key player for Real Betis and the Moroccan national team, is attracting significant interest from Premier League clubs despite a recent injury that sidelined him from the 2026 World Cup. The Moroccan winger, a product of La Masia, had shown remarkable performance before his injury, demonstrating strong dribbling skills and effectiveness in one-on-one situations. His recovery has been exemplary, with Ezzalzouli quickly regaining his explosiveness and scoring ability, confirming his continued high level of play. FC Barcelona is closely monitoring Ezzalzouli's situation, primarily due to financial motivations rather than sporting ones. The Catalan club, facing economic constraints and Liga salary requirements, sees a potential sale of Ezzalzouli as an opportunity to boost its finances. Barcelona secured a percentage of up to 50% on any future capital gain when Ezzalzouli transferred to Real Betis. This scenario is becoming more likely with strong interest from English clubs. Newcastle United is reportedly a leading contender, prepared to invest between 50 and 60 million euros for the player. Aston Villa, led by Unai Emery, is also keenly interested, leveraging its European project and Champions League participation to attract Ezzalzouli. Whether Real Betis accepts an offer from England or Barcelona considers a strategic reacquisition before a resale, the Catalan club stands to receive a substantial sum. This financial windfall would provide Barcelona with cruc
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