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Morocco's Atlas Lions face Norway in final World Cup 2026 warm-up before Brazil clash
via Le Matin2 min read
Morocco's Atlas Lions are in the final stages of preparation for their World Cup 2026 campaign, which begins with a high-profile match against Brazil on June 13 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. After two victories in Morocco against Burundi and Madagascar, national coach Mohamed Ouahbi faces his first real international test this Sunday against Norway. This crucial match serves as a dress rehearsal before facing the Seleção and aligns with a well-defined tactical strategy. By choosing the Scandinavian team, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation provides Ouahbi with an ideal opponent to simulate the physical characteristics of Scotland, whom Morocco will play on June 19 at Gillette Stadium in Boston. Scotland is known for its impact in duels, aerial power, and constant intensity, representing a challenge that the Moroccans must learn to master. Norway, with a comparable athletic profile, will push the Moroccan central defense, still in its adjustment phase, and the midfield to elevate their physical demands. This is an ideal opportunity to strengthen defensive coordination, test the solidity of key players like Achraf Hakimi, and assess the freshness of young talent Ayyoub Bouaddi, while refining rapid transitions. Facing the athletic challenge awaiting them in Group C, this match will allow for final adjustments to approach the Scottish encounter with maximum assurance. Upon their arrival at Newark Airport, Brahim Díaz's teammates immediately grasped the expectations surrou
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by Le Matin.
The Tétouan Regional Hospital Center for Specialties has commenced operations, aligning with the national program for rehabilitating and equipping public health infrastructure. This initiative follows the Royal Directives of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, aiming for a profound and structural reform of the national health system and the generalization of social protection and universal health coverage. The new center seeks to enhance healthcare provision in the Tanger-Tétouan-Al Hoceïma region, bringing specialized health services closer to citizens and improving patient care quality. It also aims to alleviate pressure on other regional hospitals, promoting territorial equity in healthcare access. Built on over 3.27 hectares with 32,300 m² of covered area, the hospital represents a total investment of 805.26 million dirhams. With a capacity of 380 beds, it is designed to serve over 1.5 million inhabitants in the Tétouan province and surrounding health zones. Over 400 professionals, including medical, nursing, technical, and administrative staff, have been mobilized to ensure optimal service delivery. The center offers a wide range of specialized medical and surgical services, including general surgery, neurosurgery, pediatric surgery, orthopedic and trauma surgery, anesthesia-resuscitation, and various internal medicine specialties. It also provides care in cardiology, pulmonology, gastroenterology, nephrology, and hemodialysis, alongside medical imaging, advanced diagnostics,
Morocco's national football team, the Atlas Lions, will face Norway in their final friendly match before the start of the 2026 World Cup. The game is scheduled for Sunday in New Jersey. This match represents the first significant international test for national coach Mohamed Ouahbi, following two victories against Burundi and Madagascar in Morocco. The Morocco-Norway match will kick off at 8:00 PM at the Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. Fans can watch the match on Arryadia and Al Aoula channels.
Brazil's coach, Carlo Ancelotti, highlighted the significance of their first match in the 2026 World Cup against Morocco. Speaking on the YouTube channel "Duda Garbi" during the "Bola-Bola com Falcao" show, Ancelotti described Morocco as a "solid, intense, and very well-organized team, with high-quality players." He noted that scoring against Morocco is challenging due to their strong defensive organization, making it a "true test from the start of the competition." Ancelotti also compared Morocco to their other Group C opponents, Haiti and Scotland, stating that while the latter two rely on physical power, they lack the individual skills of Morocco. The Moroccan national team will begin their tournament against the five-time World Cup winners, Brazil, on Saturday, June 13, at 11 PM GMT+1 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.
Orange Morocco, through its Orange Digital Center, organized the second GenZ AI Summit 2026 in Casablanca, focusing on the role of Moroccan youth in artificial intelligence transformation. The event, themed "AI and Generation Z: learning, creating, and innovating with artificial intelligence," brought together students, startups, entrepreneurs, AI experts, business leaders, and public officials. It aimed to help young people understand AI's changes and prepare them to be active participants in its development, rather than just users. Amal El Fallah Seghrouchni, Minister Delegate to the Head of Government in charge of Digital Transition and Administrative Reform, attended the opening. She emphasized Morocco's national digital strategy, which prioritizes technological sovereignty to develop local solutions, train talent, control infrastructure, and reduce reliance on imported technologies. She stated that technological dependence is a major strategic vulnerability and highlighted the Kingdom's goal to build a digital model based on innovation, sovereignty, trust, and responsibility. This direction aligns with the Maroc Digital 2030 strategy and the AI Made in Morocco roadmap. The minister outlined 2030 objectives: generating 100 billion dirhams in added value to the GDP, creating 50,000 direct and indirect jobs, and training 200,000 talents in AI-related professions and uses, including younger generations. The summit aimed to make Moroccan youth a driving force in digital trans