FIFA President Gianni Infantino has announced the establishment of the FIFA Africa Office in Morocco, marking a significant milestone in the country’s football journey and solidifying its place at the heart of the sport’s development on the continent.
The agreement was signed in Marrakech with Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch and Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), in the presence of Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe. The office, set to open in 2025, will be based in the capital, Rabat.
“We will draw the future of African football here,” said Infantino. “Morocco has shown the world what it can do on and off the pitch. The people, the passion, the infrastructure—it’s all here.”
Infantino praised Morocco’s commitment to football development and highlighted the symbolic importance of placing FIFA’s African base in a country that continues to break new ground. FIFA has similar regional offices in Paris, Miami, and Jakarta.
The announcement comes at a time when Morocco’s football stock is at an all-time high. The men’s national team made history at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022™ by becoming the first African team to reach the semi-finals. In 2024, they followed that up with a bronze medal at the Paris Olympic Games. The women’s national team reached the round of 16 in their debut appearance at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.
Off the field, Morocco has also proven a reliable host for major football events. It successfully staged the CAF Women’s Africa Cup of Nations in 2022 and will host five straight editions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup starting in 2025. Morocco has previously hosted the FIFA Club World Cup three times and is gearing up to host the 2025 CAF Africa Cup of Nations.
Looking further ahead, Morocco is set to co-host the FIFA World Cup 2030™ alongside Spain and Portugal, becoming the second African nation to host football’s biggest tournament after South Africa in 2010.
During the CAF Awards held in Marrakech, Infantino also handed out top honors to Africa’s best footballers. Zambia’s Barbra Banda was named CAF Women’s Player of the Year, while Nigeria’s Ademola Lookman earned the men’s award. Heads of state Abdel Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt and Paul Biya of Cameroon received the CAF President’s Outstanding Achievement Award for their support of football development in their countries.
As Morocco continues to blaze a trail in African and global football, the new FIFA Africa Office represents both recognition and responsibility—a nod to the nation’s success, and a platform to shape the future of the game across the continent.
