Neil Ward has seen Morocco’s football ambition up close. The Welshman, who previously served as chief executive at the Football Association of Wales Trust, joined the Royal Moroccan Football Federation as director of technical operations in 2020 and was in Rabat when Morocco became the first African nation to reach a World Cup semi-final.
Ward witnessed the scenes that followed firsthand. “It took over all the city right through until the early hours of the morning, with the king out celebrating as well,” he said. Knocked out by France at that tournament, Morocco now face Les Bleus again on Thursday at 21:00 BST, with a place in the last four once more on the line at Boston Stadium.
Fellow Briton Simon Jennings shares Ward’s perspective on what has driven Morocco’s ascent. Jennings delivered the Uefa Pro Licence and A-licence as a coaching educator and was responsible for youth development across the country between 2020 and 2024. “This is not an accident,” he said. “It’s a result of clear national ambition.”
That ambition has been backed by King Mohammed VI, with sustained investment channelled into a state-of-the-art training facility, a national academy, regional training centres, stadium redevelopments and thousands of amateur pitches. “You need those top facilities for players in Europe who are used to it,” Ward explained. “So when you come in and see a training facility of this calibre, it shows you these people are serious and want to be successful.”
Morocco, currently ranked sixth in Fifa’s world rankings and co-hosts of the 2030 World Cup, appear to have built something with lasting foundations. The royal palace has also pledged the equivalent of £11.2bn in the 2026 budget to health and education, marking a 16% year-on-year increase.
Image credit: BBC Sport / BBC Sport
