FIFA opens Africa regional office in Morocco

The world football governing body, the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), has opened its African region office in Rabat, Morocco.

FIFA boss Gianni Infantino inaugurated the new edifice, which will serve as the organisation’s continental office, hosting a mix of personnel from different departments to provide technical and educational support to African nations.

The workstation in the Moroccan capital will also deliver support services to African federations in their development projects and further reflect FIFA’s desire to establish a lasting presence on the continent.

The Africa office is the latest, after FIFA recently opened its American office in New York, further decentralising its operations and opening a rival base to the Cairo, Egypt, headquarters of the Confederation of African Football (CAF).

CAF President Patrice Motsepe and Moroccan FA Chairman Fouzi Lekjaa, one of the continent’s key power brokers, were in attendance alongside a host of African FA presidents as Rabat staged the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations, which Nigeria claimed for a tenth time with a stunning comeback win against hosts Morocco.

In the lead-up to the 2030 World Cup when Morocco will be one of six co-hosts in a super-sized event, the North African nation is taking on a bigger role in football. They will host five consecutive editions of the U-17 Women’s World Cup and the Moroccans have expressed interest in staging the 2029 Club World Cup.

Rabat becomes the latest city to host a FIFA office after Paris, Miami and Jakarta; and reinforcing FIFA’s engagement with all regions and affirming its commitment to developing football across the globe.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino described it as an incredible and beautiful complex. “Today is certainly a wonderful day; it’s a special day; a glorious day; a joyful day! We will write, in gold letters, the wonderful history of FIFA, football in Africa, football in Morocco and football in the world.

“It is a witness to a country that is projected into the future, to a continent that is projected into the future and to the work that all of us do for this incredible sport. I want to thank Morocco and King Mohammed VI for making this possible,” he said.

Also in attendance were FIFA General Secretary Mattias Grafström, CAF President Patrice Motsepe and his General Secretary Veron Mosengo-Omba, FRMF President Fouzi Lekja, Moroccan Government officials, among others.

The global governing body also has 11 regional development offices scattered around the world to provide member associations with more support. These offices are in Barbados, Panama, Paraguay, Senegal, Congo, South Africa, Rwanda, the United Arab Emirates, India, Malaysia and New Zealand.

The North African country will become the second African country to host the FIFA World Cup, staging the tournament jointly with Portugal and Spain in 2030.

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