Rabat – The Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade, Nicolas Forissier, is expected to visit Morocco in April, with reports suggesting the trip will focus on sports, particularly the 2030 World Cup.
African Intelligence exclusively reported the news, stating the French official is preparing a “tour heavily focused on football.”
The news outlet said the agenda is also expected to include a meeting between Fouzi Lekjaa, President of Morocco’s Football Federation (FRMF), and Philippe Diallo, the head of the French Football Federation.
However, the Elysee has yet to confirm the news.
France’s interest in opportunities stemming from the World Cup 2030 is not new.
In May last year, France and Morocco pledged to strengthen sports cooperation.
The two countries worked together putting on the 40th Conference of Ministers of Youth and Sports of the Francophone, which former French Minister of Sports Marie Barsacq was a vital part of.
In April last year, the two countries also discussed Morocco’s 2030 World Cup preparatory campaign, a co-host of the global tournament along with Spain and Portugal.
Former Minister Delegate in charge of Foreign Trade, Laurent Saint-Martin, during his visit to Morocco in April last year, announced the launch of the Franco-Moroccan Committee to support Morocco as hosts of the 2030 World Cup.
Representatives from at least 10 French companies attended to promote French expertise in infrastructure for large international events.
Several other countries have also expressed interest in unlocking opportunities in Morocco, including the UK.
Last year, former UK Minister of State for Investment Baroness Gustafsson announced that the Department for Business and Trade is “committed to helping UK businesses export to Morocco.”
The announcement is in line with the UK-Morocco Association Agreement the two countries signed in 2019 post-Brexit.
“Bilateral trade was worth £4.2 billion in 2024, up £0.6 billion in current prices from 2023,” the former minister stated, stressing the importance of Morocco as a co-host of the World Cup.
She said that this is an example of further avenues for growth for UK-Morocco business partnerships at the 2030 FIFA World Cup, “where opportunities are emerging for British businesses.”
