馃嚥馃嚘MoroccoNorth Africa
Morocco secures two spots in MasterChef USA 2026, sole North African representative
via Le Matin2 min read
Moroccan cuisine gained prominence during the African auditions for the 16th season of MasterChef USA, broadcast on FOX. This season introduces a new concept called "Global Gauntlet," pitting amateur chefs from four divisions鈥擜frica, Europe, Americas, and Asia-Pacific鈥攁gainst each other. During the African auditions, eight candidates competed for the coveted "white aprons," signifying entry into the competition. Only five participants advanced after receiving three "yes" votes from judges Gordon Ramsay, Joe Bastianich, and Tiffany Derry. Morocco emerged as the sole North African representative, with two qualified candidates. The remaining African "white aprons" were awarded to two Nigerian candidates and one South African candidate. Nora, a 35-year-old Moroccan living in Las Vegas, impressed the judges with her lamb tagine and couscous, which showcased the characteristic sweet and savory balance of Moroccan cuisine. Dave, a Moroccan-origin candidate from Chicago, presented a traditional fish tagra with a tangy tomato sauce, inspired by northern Moroccan recipes and his family heritage from T茅touan. The judges, including Gordon Ramsay, were notably impressed by the flavors and identity of the Moroccan dishes. Ramsay, who has a known appreciation for Moroccan gastronomy, had previously announced in 2024 that Moroccan cuisine was voted the best in the world in a competition organized by Pubity Cuisine on Instagram, surpassing Italian, Japanese, French, Mexican, and Indian cuisin
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Moroccan referee Jalal Jiyed, assisted by compatriots Zakaria Brinsi and Mustapha Akerkad, has been appointed by FIFA to officiate the World Cup 2026 group stage match between Portugal and Uzbekistan. South African Tom Abongile will serve as the fourth official, assisted by Zakhele Siwela. This marks the second assignment for the Moroccan trio, who previously officiated the Germany vs. Cura莽ao match. Portugal drew their first match against the Democratic Republic of Congo 1-1, while Uzbekistan lost 3-1 to Colombia. The upcoming match is crucial for both Portugal and Uzbekistan's qualification hopes. Notably, an Uzbek referee, Ilgiz Tantashov, recently officiated a match involving Morocco's Atlas Lions against Scotland.
Following Morocco's 1-0 victory over Scotland, coach Mohamed Ouahbi assessed the team's performance in the 2026 World Cup, where they have accumulated four points from two matches against Brazil and Scotland. Ouahbi highlighted the team's collective control and improved offensive intentions compared to their draw against Brazil. He noted that while Scotland played more directly with long balls, Morocco effectively countered their strategy. Despite their strong position, Ouahbi emphasized that qualification is not yet secured and the team's objective is to defeat Haiti in the final group match to ensure qualification and potentially secure first place. He also stated that he would field the best possible team against Haiti, considering player freshness, opponent profile, and match context, rather than systematically rotating the squad. Ouahbi also publicly supported captain Achraf Hakimi, who is facing legal proceedings, stating that Hakimi was focused, motivated the team, and played an excellent match. Ouahbi praised the team's mental fortitude and expressed confidence in their ability to advance to the round of sixteen as group leaders.
Bank Al-Maghrib has issued a warning to all banks regarding a global surge in cybercrime campaigns exploiting public interest in the 2026 World Cup. The central bank notes that these threats include the distribution of malware via fake applications or match streaming platforms, as well as phishing campaigns designed to trick users into revealing sensitive information, such as login credentials and banking details. Bank Al-Maghrib urges banks to enhance customer awareness efforts and emphasize key vigilance rules. These include exercising caution before installing match-streaming applications, avoiding links received via email, SMS, or social media that offer broadcasts or promotional deals, verifying website authenticity before entering personal or banking data, and immediately reporting any suspicious activity or unauthorized transactions to the bank. The central bank also instructs banking institutions to relay these vigilance messages to their customers through appropriate communication channels.