The Atlas Lion Cubs beat Afghanistan in the third-place play-off.
The consistent performance of the national youth teams on the Olympic stage confirms the vitality of sports development in the Kingdom. On Thursday 12 November 2026, the under-18 national futsal team won the bronze medal at the Youth Olympic Games held in Dakar, Senegal, beating the Afghan side 2–1. After suffering a defeat against Argentina in the semi-final, the young national players demonstrated great tactical discipline to take the lead just before half-time following an own goal by Abolfazl Haqani, before extending their lead shortly after the restart through Mohammed Serrar, who capitalised on a pass from Alae Ait Challa. Despite a late goal from Reza Karimi in the final minute of play, the Moroccan defence managed to hold on to their lead to secure third place on the Olympic podium.
A fourth medal for the national delegation in Dakar
This team performance adds to the overall tally of the Moroccan delegation competing in this year’s Youth Olympic Games in Senegal. Thanks to this podium finish in the men’s futsal tournament, the total number of medals won by the country’s young athletes now stands at four, comprising one silver and three bronze medals won in various disciplines. This result demonstrates the national teams’ ability to compete with the world’s best in the sport, consolidating the status of Moroccan futsal as a major force on the African continent and internationally.
Benefits for youth sports training and coaching
The success achieved by this promising generation highlights the value of the investments made in federal training centres and regional academies across the country. Exposing these young talents to an Olympic competition fosters their technical development, reinforces a culture of high performance and fuels enthusiasm for futsal amongst young players in the country’s sports centres. By providing structured coaching and rigorous sporting supervision for its young people, the Kingdom is actively preparing the next generation for its senior national teams and promoting its model of sporting development.
