馃嚥馃嚘MoroccoNorth Africa
Morocco U17 begins AFCON title defense against Tunisia
via Le Matin2 min read
Morocco's U17 national team, the reigning champions, will commence their AFCON 2026 campaign on Wednesday, May 13, facing Tunisia in the opening match at the Moulay El Hassan Stadium in Rabat. Coached by Tiago Lima Pereira, the "Atlas Cubs" previously defeated Tunisia in the North African Football Union tournament in Libya, where they showcased regional dominance with clear victories. To prepare for the tournament, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation implemented a rigorous training program, including concentration camps at the Mohammed VI Complex in Sal茅, featuring intense tactical sessions and international friendly matches. This strategy aims to build a mentally strong and physically prepared squad to defend their title at home. The stability of the technical staff and the integration of young talents from top training centers provide Morocco with significant squad depth, positioning them as favorites. Morocco is in Group A and will face two challenging matches after their opener against Tunisia. On Saturday, May 16, they will play Ethiopia at the Mohammed VI Complex in Sal茅. Their final group stage match will be on Tuesday, May 19, also in Sal茅, against Egypt. The Egyptian team, a historical rival with strong technical skills, previously challenged Morocco in the UNAF tournament, though Morocco ultimately prevailed. The team will need impeccable squad management and constant focus to reach the semi-finals and pursue a historic back-to-back title win on home soil.
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
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.