Infantino: Morocco is a role model in the development of football

Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, praised Morocco's progress in football infrastructure during his speech on Thursday at the strategic conference of the Confederation of African Football, held on Sal Island in Cape Verde.

The FIFA president placed Morocco among the African countries that have made significant strides in this area, pointing to the establishment of national training centers, stadiums, and facilities dedicated to competitions, as well as new headquarters for federations, as part of projects aimed at developing football on the continent.

Infantino revealed that FIFA has invested $1 billion in Africa over the past decade, including $500 million in the last four years, explaining that 124 projects and other initiatives related to football and infrastructure development have been implemented.

The FIFA president confirmed that 26 African countries were unable, two years ago, to host international matches on their soil due to their stadiums not meeting necessary standards, while 40 countries can now hold matches in their stadiums, emphasizing FIFA's ongoing commitment to support infrastructure development on the continent.

Infantino also highlighted the progress made by African teams on the international stage, noting that nine out of ten African teams that participated in the 2026 World Cup reached the knockout stages, whereas none of the five African teams that took part in the 2018 edition made it to that round, considering that these results reflect the efforts made in various countries across the continent.

The FIFA president pointed to the noticeable increase in the number of African talents in global football, stressing the need to provide them with more opportunities to showcase their potential at the highest levels, while FIFA continues to support projects aimed at developing football on the continent.