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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.
In accordance with the High Instructions of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, addressed to the Minister of Interior and the President of the Public Prosecutor's Office, the Central Election Monitoring Commission was activated on Monday, July 20, at the Ministry of Interior. This activation aims to ensure the sincerity and integrity of the legislative elections for the election of members of the House of Representatives, scheduled for September 23, 2026. Provincial election monitoring commissions were also activated across various prefectures, provinces, and district prefectures, comprising the Wali or Governor and the King's Attorney General or the King's Prosecutor. Regional commissions were also established to support the work of the provincial commissions. The primary mission of these commissions is to implement practical measures to preserve and guarantee the integrity and sincerity of electoral operations. They will monitor all stages of the electoral process, intervening against any potential disruptions from the current phase until election day and the proclamation of results. The commissions will operate in strict adherence to current laws and regulations, without prejudice to the powers of legislative, judicial, and administrative authorities. To safeguard the integrity of the upcoming electoral process and protect the free choice of voters, these commissions will promptly identify electoral offenses and initiate investigations or legal proceedings as necessary. The Cent
Casablanca's new seawater desalination plant, the largest in Morocco, is scheduled to commence operations in February 2027, according to Nizar Baraka, the Minister of Equipment and Water. The project, launched in June 2024 by His Royal Highness Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, represents an investment of approximately 11 billion dirhams through a public-private partnership. It is part of the National Drinking Water Supply and Irrigation Program 2020-2027. The plant will initially produce 200 million cubic meters of water annually, expanding to 300 million cubic meters after an extension. Most of this production will supply drinking water to Casablanca and surrounding areas, with the remainder used for agricultural irrigation to reduce pressure on conventional water sources. This initiative addresses several years of drought and declining dam levels, particularly in the Oum Er-Rbia basin, a key water source for the Casablanca-Settat region. The plant will utilize reverse osmosis technology and be powered by a wind farm to minimize its carbon footprint and production costs, aligning with national energy transition and sustainable development goals. The project also includes seawater intake structures, treated water discharge facilities, pumping stations, storage reservoirs, a control and management center, and a water transport network. This plant is a cornerstone of Morocco's water security policy, which emphasizes diversifying water resources, constructing dams, reusing treated
During the 2026 World Cup, several footballers saw a significant increase in their social media popularity. Achraf Hakimi gained 1,850,521 new Instagram followers, an increase of 7.9%, bringing his total to 25,325,369. A sponsored post on his account could now be worth approximately $253,254. Erling Haaland led the tournament in new followers with 31.8 million, a 78.3% increase. Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha was a surprise second, gaining 29.5 million new followers, a more than 93,400% increase. England's Jude Bellingham was third with nearly 11.9 million new followers. Norway topped the team rankings with over 34.2 million new followers, largely due to Haaland. Cape Verde was second, ahead of Argentina and Brazil. In the final phase of the tournament, between the semi-finals and the final from July 16-20, Lamine Yamal saw the biggest growth with nearly 4 million new followers, surpassing Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland. Ferran Torres, who scored a decisive goal in the final, also significantly increased his Instagram popularity. These figures from MyBettingSites.co.uk highlight the World Cup's impact on players' digital recognition beyond their on-field performance.