OWe all remember the aura generated by the performance of the Atlas Lions during the Qatari World Cup in 2022. In the spotlight, the national team has been searched more than 100 million times on Google in December 2022. This enthusiasm has enhanced the image of Morocco, even though its feat was achieved outside its bases. Now let’s imagine the impact that this event organized on its own land could have! Beyond the sporting impact, these two major events promise to profoundly transform the landscape of Moroccan football, starting with the national teams, the regional leagues, but also the training system for young players.
A rise in strength of Moroccan teams
The increased international visibility that these competitions will generate will allow the National Eleven to become better known internationally. Hicham Ramram, sports journalist and consultant, emphasizes that this global craze will strengthen Morocco’s position in the sporting landscape, thus attracting new sponsors. “The national team’s performance will improve, supported by the revenue generated from these events, which can be reinvested in developing infrastructure and training and development programs for players. It must be emphasized that continuing education is the crux of the matter, it is the main element of all success. It is imperative to sharpen the know-how of the player and his supervisor. This development process should contribute to an increase in the strength of Moroccan teams,” he underlines.
One of the most significant consequences is the massive investments in sports infrastructure. New grounds, equipment and development programs will be put in place to contribute to the training of young people. “The training centers will benefit directly from these investments, thus promoting the emergence of young talents,” explains Hicham Ramram. This dynamic will help solidify the foundations of Moroccan football in the long term. According to the expert, the Botola Pro elite 1 should also benefit from new dynamics. “This could attract new investors and improve the quality of matches, especially as it will benefit from the rehabilitation of stadiums and all the infrastructure dedicated to the practice of football. An unprecedented sporting dynamic will mark this era of change that could be described as an evolution-revolution. In terms of budget, the draft Finance Law 2025 provides nearly 20 billion dirhams to develop the football infrastructure project. This is a figure that says a lot about Morocco’s commitment to large-scale investments.
Thanks to modernized stadiums and world-class infrastructure, the regional leagues will have a strengthened ecosystem, conducive to the emergence of new talents and improving the competitiveness of Moroccan football. This development will make it possible to overcome amateurism and turn the page on an era where supremacy was limited to only 4 or 5 teams. Indeed, many clubs face serious difficulties: accumulated debts, insufficient resources to recruit quality players and a priority which often boils down to avoiding descent to the lower division, rather than boosting the championship and cultivating a real competitive spirit.
Regional centers: An essential pillar
The regional centers play a leading role in the structure of Moroccan football. An observation confirmed by Khalid Doumou, economist and vice-president of Kénitra athletic club (KAC): “these events will give a real boost to national sport, and in particular to football. The generalization of these centers throughout Morocco is essential to develop this sector. However, Doumou insists on the privatization of clubs, which remains a must for national football, and warns of the limits of public resources to manage this transformation. “The central State and the municipalities have neither the technical capacities nor the financial resources necessary to generate the income essential to the sustainability of our sports infrastructures. The introduction of innovative financing mechanisms, such as lease-back or private equity in the sports economy could provide the necessary resources to boost our training system and improve the quality of sporting spectacles, both at national and international level. international.” In this same vein, Doumou pleads for a strategy of duplicating already existing successes.
“Morocco benefits from an immense pool of young talents, likely to be promoted on an international scale. However, to realize this potential, it is essential to adopt a proven model, such as that developed with the Mohammed VI Academy and the Mohammed VI Complex, which host the various national football teams. To transform Moroccan football into a real export industry, it is imperative to replicate this model in the different regions of the Kingdom,” he specifies.
-A multi-sector economic impact
In addition to the benefits for football, these international competitions will have economic repercussions. They will generate thousands of jobs in sectors such as hotels, restaurants and transport. Sports tourism, already booming, will receive a boost thanks to the influx of visitors during these events. Morocco’s image on an international scale will be highlighted, opening up prospects for positive impacts on other economic sectors. Hicham Ramram draws attention to the cultural and tourist aspect played by the organization of these events and their impact on the development of the country.
“Participation in the Qatar World Cup has aroused great interest in Morocco. Today, thanks to the organization of these events of continental and global scope, Morocco will make a grandiose promotion through sport. With two months of competitions, tourists will have to flock in droves. For novices, they will discover Morocco, its culture and its traditions. The Kingdom is full of potential through its ancestral know-how. You have registered trademarks like the caftan, the tagine, the tea, or even the imperial cities with a glorious past. The history of Morocco and its culture will constitute a platform and will be strongly represented. All this will boost national tourism and export a positive image of Morocco. And added: “The Atlas Lions attract more football enthusiasts. Moroccans have become more sensitive. Before, parents opted for studies, currently, they are more open and accept that their children join football academies, combining sports and studies. Becoming a Bounou or an Amrabat is now possible. Mentalities are changing, we approach football with a different approach. The prowess of the Atlas Lions had an incredible impact,” he notes.
Employment and profitability of infrastructure
Organizing this kind of competition will create many opportunities in various sectors. Employability is directly linked to these kinds of events. However, another challenge arises, that of the management and maintenance of the stadiums after the end of these events. “An effective mode of stadium management and an adapted economic model will be necessary to guarantee their long-term profitability. The challenge will be to sustain the investments made in sports infrastructure,” explains Ramram. Khalid Doumou shares this vision and affirms that sport business and the entertainment industry must be considered as an inseparable whole.
“To guarantee the profitability of sports infrastructures and avoid new “dead capital” such as the Al Amal complex, and several abandoned stadiums, it is essential to design infrastructures capable of hosting various paid events,” he suggests. -he. Doumou also insists on the need to diversify sources of income: “All means are good to create wealth through the creation of multi-purpose sports arenas. Sport alone, with one or two weekly meetings, is not enough to cover the costs of maintenance, training and promotion of national football. Effective governance of renovated infrastructure will make it possible to financially empower clubs and transform them into profitable companies in the long term,” he concludes.
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