Appointed Minister for the Economy, Finance and Public Performance on 16 October 2026 by King Mohammed VI, Fouzi Lekjaa has taken the helm of a major strategic portfolio. We take a look back at the career and approach of a great manager who has taken Moroccan football to the very top of the world.
16 October 2026 marked a major milestone for Fouzi Lekjaa, as he took the reins of the Ministry of the Economy, Finance and Public Performance. Before becoming the Kingdom’s chief financial officer, this man of rigour established himself as the architect of Morocco’s sporting renaissance by applying an approach centred on performance, infrastructure and long-term vision.
A management style that has made Morocco a global footballing power
Elected president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) in 2014, Fouzi Lekjaa prioritised laying the foundations. Symbolising this ambition, the 2019 inauguration of the Mohammed VI Football Complex, now one of the most modern sports centres in the world – served as a springboard for all the national teams.
This high-impact investment policy has led to a string of historic successes:
Senior Men’s Team : Semi-finalists at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, an absolute first for an African nation.
Women’s national team : First-ever appearance at the World Cup in 2023, reaching the round of 16.
Youth and Futsal Teams : A bronze medal at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games for the Olympic team, the U20 World Cup title in 2025, and three continental titles for the futsal team.
Organisation : Successful hosting of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations, culminating in the Atlas Lions’ victory.
A managerial approach serving the state’s finances
This exceptional sporting record is based on tried-and-tested management principles: strategic planning, budgetary discipline and effective management of infrastructure projects. Fouzi Lekjaa has a perfect grasp of this rigour at an administrative level, having joined the Ministry of Finance in 1997 before heading the Budget Directorate from 2011, and then serving as Minister of State for the Budget from 2021.
Now at the helm of a ministry expanded to include Public Performance, his remit will be to draft the 2027 Finance Act and to oversee the country’s major socio-economic projects. As First Vice-President of the CAF and a member of the FIFA Council, he brings valuable expertise to the preparations for the 2030 World Cup, a global event where infrastructure development and sound public finances go hand in hand.
