Morocco will no longer bid to host African competitions, announces Lekjaa

Morocco is turning its back on its role as a reference host nation for the CAF. In an interview with Al-Jazeera on the sidelines of the Atlas Lions’ entry into the 2026 World Cup against Brazil (1-1), Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), announced a radical change of direction.

“From today onwards, Morocco will no longer submit any bids to host African competitions, regardless of their nature. If other countries wish to organize them, that is their choice.” The statement contrasts sharply with the stance adopted in recent years by the kingdom, which had established itself as the primary recourse for the African Football Confederation when it struggled to find host countries.

Thanks to modern and immediately operational infrastructure, Morocco had regularly stepped in to host several tournaments across different categories. Lekjaa nevertheless acknowledged that this availability was more of a service rendered than a genuine ambition to organize: “We will organize the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations because no other country wanted it. We agreed to host it because everything is ready, and we will lose nothing from it.”

The women’s tournament, initially presented as a backup solution, ultimately remains awarded to Morocco despite interest shown by South Africa following an announcement of a postponement. The competition is now scheduled from July 25 to August 16.

This position comes in a tense context. In recent months, Morocco has been accused of exercising growing influence within the CAF, while several Moroccan officials felt that the efforts made to host continental competitions had not been recognized at their true value. If this new direction is confirmed, the CAF could find itself with a considerably reduced pool of candidate hosts for its major competitions.