Morocco to bid for 2026 World Cup - Federation

Image
AFP Rabat
Last Updated : Aug 11 2017 | 5:42 PM IST
Morocco's football federation (FRMF) announced today it had told the sport's world governing body FIFA it will bid to host the 2026 World Cup.
It would be Morocco's fifth candidacy having come up short already in 1994, 1998, 2006 and 2010.
In April, the United States, Canada and Mexico had already announced a joint North American bid to host the tournament.
If successful, Morocco would become only the second African country to host football's flagship event following South Africa in 2010.
The north Africans have received backing from African federation (CAF) president Ahmad Ahmad, who said he was "convinced" the country is ready to host a World Cup.
The 2026 tournament will be the first with an expanded 48-team tournament, up from the current 32 qualifiers.
Morocco had won the right to host the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations but pulled out at the 11th hour over concerns related to the Ebola outbreak in western Africa at the time.
But the country has embarked on a professionalisation drive to improve its football infrastructure while increasing it's candidacies for various tournaments in order to improve its chances of landing a much coveted World Cup.

Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content

*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: Aug 11 2017 | 5:42 PM IST

Next Story