FIFA President Gianni Infantino, the head of Morocco’s Royal Football Federation (FRMF) Fouzi Lekjaa, and the head of the Moroccan government, Aziz Akhannouch signed on Monday, a protocol for the creation of FIFA’s first permanent regional headquarters in Africa, which will be located in the capital city, Rabat, on Monday.
The new regional headquarters in Morocco will mirror FIFA’s regional office in Paris, representing part of FIFA’s global expansion strategy.
Infantino congratulated Morocco on winning the bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup, and said he was happy to be in what he described as “his country, Morocco, and his continent, Africa.”
CAF President Patrice Motsepe said “We would like to express our gratitude to King Mohammed VI, the government and people of Morocco, and the FRMF. I am very proud of the role that Lekjaa has been playing.”
He added, “We are here to mark this special occasion, and we can truly feel the love of the Moroccan and African people.”
This milestone follows the establishment of a similar office in Miami, USA. The goal of the regional office in Morocco is to support preparations for the 2030 World Cup, under the guidance of both international and Moroccan teams, with a focus on developing African football.
The success is attributed to the royal vision of King Mohammed VI, which has positioned Morocco as a model for sports development in Africa.
Several heads of African and global football federations, as well as prominent sports figures from around the world, including club presidents from Europe and Africa attended the signing ceremony.