Morocco has increasingly turned sport into a strategic foreign policy tool, leveraging football success and major international sporting events to expand its influence across Africa and beyond, according to a study published by the Italian Institute for International Political Studies.
The study argues that sport has evolved into a growing component of Morocco’s diplomatic strategy, complementing more traditional instruments of foreign policy such as economic cooperation, religious diplomacy and engagement with sub-Saharan Africa.
According to the analysis, the Kingdom’s successful hosting of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations marked a major step in this direction, showcasing Morocco’s organizational capabilities, modern infrastructure and security preparedness to a global audience.
The tournament, the study notes, strengthened Morocco’s image as a leading sporting nation in Africa and enhanced its international credibility at a time when the country is seeking a greater regional and global role.
The report also identifies the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which Morocco will co-host with Spain and Portugal, as a central pillar of the Kingdom’s sports diplomacy ambitions.
Beyond its sporting significance, the joint World Cup project reflects Morocco’s aspiration to position itself as a bridge between Africa and Europe, while highlighting the improvement in relations between Rabat and Madrid following years of diplomatic tensions.
The study further links Morocco’s growing sports diplomacy profile to the historic achievement of the national football team at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar, where the Atlas Lions became the first African and Arab side to reach the tournament’s semi-finals.
That achievement, according to the study, significantly boosted Morocco’s soft power, generating widespread support across Africa, the Arab world and among Moroccan diaspora communities in Europe.
The analysis also highlights the role of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation in supporting Morocco’s influence across the African continent.
Through cooperation agreements with dozens of African football associations, training programs and the hosting of athletes at the Mohammed VI Football Complex, the federation has become an important contributor to the Kingdom’s broader diplomatic outreach, the study says.
Morocco has also provided its stadiums to several African national teams unable to host international matches at home due to infrastructure shortcomings, reinforcing its position as a key partner in the development of football across the continent.
The study points to Moroccan-Senegalese relations following the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final as an example of how sport can contribute to easing tensions and strengthening ties between African countries.
More broadly, the authors argue that sports diplomacy has become an increasingly visible component of Morocco’s international projection strategy, helping the Kingdom promote its image, expand its partnerships and consolidate its regional influence.
At the same time, the study cautions that the long-term success of this approach will depend on Morocco’s ability to address domestic social and economic challenges, as large-scale investments linked to sporting events continue to fuel debate over development priorities and social equity.
The study concludes that football achievements and the successful hosting of major sporting events have transformed sport into a powerful instrument of Moroccan soft power, making sports diplomacy one of the most dynamic dimensions of the Kingdom’s foreign policy.
