M’diq, July 31, 2025 – The Europe Today: His Majesty King Mohammed VI received Morocco’s women’s national football team in M’diq on Wednesday, in recognition of their outstanding performance as runners-up at the 2024 Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON). The royal ceremony coincided with the celebration of the 26th anniversary of the monarch’s accession to the throne.
The team, led by coach Jorge Vilda, was warmly welcomed by the King, who praised their “dedication, performance, and effort,” describing their achievement as a source of pride for the entire nation. Also present at the ceremony were Fouzi Lekjaa, President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), and FIFA President Gianni Infantino.
The royal reception marks a significant moment in Morocco’s strategic push to elevate women’s football, aligning with broader national efforts to promote gender equality in sport. Since the establishment of the Mohammed VI Football Academy in 2009, and under the personal patronage of the football-enthusiast monarch, the country has made substantial investments in the women’s game.
These efforts have yielded tangible results. In 2020, the women’s football league was professionalised, with the FRMF covering 70% of club expenses. The national women’s team made history by qualifying for the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup — the first from North Africa to do so — and advancing to the round of 16.
Speaking to international media, team captain Ghizlane Chebbak emphasized the impact of this transformation: “The Moroccan FA is making huge efforts to provide the necessary conditions… We managed to change society’s perception of women’s football at [WAFCON].”
Khadija Illa, head of the women’s league, noted to AFP that public interest and support have grown steadily: “The federation invested in women’s football. Since then, mentalities have changed and the evolution is palpable.”
BBC correspondent Ian Williams described the King Mohammed VI Training Complex near Rabat as “impressive and pristine,” featuring world-class facilities including grass pitches, futsal halls, recovery suites, and residential blocks for both male and female players. “The aim is clear: Morocco was a land of men’s football and it had to be for women too,” the report concluded.
Midfielder Yasmin Mrabet remarked to BBC Sport, “You couldn’t ask for anything more. Here, I really do feel like a professional football player.” Former coach Reynald Pedros also credited the federation’s consistent backing: “Without the support of the FRMF, we would not have succeeded… Morocco is one of the only African countries that invests so much in women’s football.”
Public recognition, such as Wednesday’s royal audience, is seen as vital in shifting societal attitudes. “When boys run up to female players to ask for their autographs… I realised that women’s football had gained popularity and is no longer marginalised,” said player Leila El Yousfi in an interview with L’Orient Today.
The event echoes similar royal honors extended to the men’s national team following their historic 2022 FIFA World Cup campaign, reinforcing the Kingdom’s commitment to gender parity in sport and to fostering a new generation of female athletes.
With continued royal support and institutional investment, Morocco’s women’s football is poised to play a central role in shaping the country’s athletic future — on and off the field.
