FIFPRO World 11 : Morocco’s Ghizlane Chebbak nominated
Atlas Lionesses and AS FAR captain Ghizlane Chebbak is among the twenty-six players shortlisted for the 2026 Women’s World 11.
National women’s football continues to shine the Kingdom’s colours at the summit of world sport. Emblematic captain of the Moroccan national team and AS FAR, Ghizlane Chebbak, has been officially selected among the twenty-six players nominated for the 2026 FIFPRO Women’s World 11. Already crowned CAF Women’s Player of the Year and boasting a previous nomination, the playmaker confirms her place among the global elite. Her presence alongside the discipline’s biggest figures, such as Spain’s Aitana Bonmatí and Alexia Putellas, illustrates the giant leap made by Moroccan women’s football thanks to an ambitious and structured development policy.
International recognition awarded by professional players
This international distinction rests on unparalleled legitimacy in world sport, as it stems from a voting process conducted among peers. For this 2026 edition, over 6,500 professional players from leagues worldwide cast their votes to select the ideal team. The nomination of the Moroccan international highlights the consistency of her performances at the highest continental and international levels, while rewarding her leadership within the national squad. The final eleven will be revealed to the public on 9 November 2026 during a gala gathering world football’s elite.
A dual nomination symbolizing the reach of Moroccan sport
The simultaneous presence of Ghizlane Chebbak in the women’s category and Achraf Hakimi in the men’s category marks a historic milestone for national sport. This dual shortlisting within the FIFPRO world teams reflects the overall rise of the discipline and the appeal of talents developed or competing under the national flag. Carrying the ambitions of an entire country onto the international stage, the Atlas Lionesses captain stands as a model of dedication and success for a whole generation of young girls aspiring to pursue careers in sports and showcase the Kingdom’s local skills.
FIFPRO World 11 : Morocco’s Achraf Hakimi nominated again
Atlas Lions captain and Paris Saint-Germain key figure Achraf Hakimi is among the twenty-six players shortlisted by their peers for the 2026 Men’s World 11.
National football once again confirms its position at the highest level of international sport. The International Federation of Professional Footballers revealed on Monday, 2 November 2026, the list of twenty-six players selected for the 2026 FIFPRO Men’s World 11. Among the prominent names included in this prestigious selection, Paris Saint-Germain right-back and emblematic Morocco national team captain Achraf Hakimi stands out as a major contender for the right-back spot in the global team of the year. This nomination rewards an exceptional season marked by decisive performances for both club and country, consolidating his status as a sporting icon for the Kingdom’s youth.
A remarkable season for club and national team
This shortlisting crowns a top-tier journey across European and international pitches. Delivering first-class performances, the player won Ligue 1 as well as the Champions League with the Parisian club, while shining brightly during the recent 2026 World Cup by guiding the Atlas Lions to the quarter-finals. His ability to make a decisive impact, illustrated again recently by a league hat-trick against Le Havre, makes him an essential link in his team. He features on the list alongside major international football figures such as Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal, and Lionel Messi.
International recognition voted by professionals
The key feature of the FIFPRO World 11 lies in its selection process, as it is the only global accolade awarded exclusively through votes cast by professional players themselves. For this 2026 edition, nearly twenty thousand footballers from seventy-three countries cast their votes for the period spanning August 2025 to July 2026. The official final eleven will be revealed on 9 November 2026 during a formal ceremony. This potential distinction provides further reach for national sport, illustrating the international success of Moroccan talents and their contribution to the prestige of African football.
Ligue 1 : Moroccan Gessime Yassine establishes himself as a leader
Author of a masterclass performance during the victory against Auxerre, the young talent asserts himself as the most effective dribbler and the second player winning the most duels in the league.
Professional football continues to highlight the vitality and excellence of talents of Moroccan origin competing on European pitches. At the conclusion of Ligue 1’s ninth matchday, marked by a resounding five-goal-to-one success over Auxerre, young attacker Gessime Yassine delivered a true technical demonstration. Official league statistics confirm his meteoric rise, ranking him as the player with the highest number of successful dribbles since the start of the season. This ease in direct 1v1 situations is accompanied by an impressive physical impact, placing him second among players winning the most individual duels in the top flight.
The emergence of an impactful profile for modern football
This consistency in individual performance illustrates the quality of youth development and the determination of young athletes from the diaspora. Capable of providing verticality, unbalancing opposing defensive blocks, and creating decisive openings for his teammates, the young winger has now established himself as a cornerstone of his team’s tactical setup. His ability to withstand physical challenges imposed by defenders while maintaining high technical clarity in the final action makes him a particularly sought-after profile at the highest level of modern international football.
An influence that inspires youth and promotes excellence
The remarkable rise of this young talent on the French stage is a further source of pride for national sports observers and football enthusiasts in the Kingdom. This upward trajectory confirms the driving role of dual-national players in enhancing the prestige of national sport globally, while serving as an example of self-sacrifice and success for Moroccan sports youth. The evolution of his performances over the coming league matchdays will be followed with particular attention, as expectations grow around his potential for the future of the national teams.
Peppers : Strong Spanish demand drives up Moroccan prices
Due to limited harvests in the Souss-Massa region and pests in Spain, Moroccan pepper farmgate prices have doubled. This supply tension underscores the key role of national agriculture.
The national market gardening sector is undergoing a period of intense commercial tension marked by a spectacular surge in export prices. At the end of October 2026, Moroccan pepper prices negotiated directly at farmgate doubled compared to the same period last year. This sharp rise stems from exceptional buying pressure from European markets, particularly Spain, where buyers are seeking massive supplies from producers in Souss-Massa. This situation highlights the centrality of the national agricultural platform in supplying the European Union market, but it also confronts local professionals with a major challenge regarding volume availability to satisfy global demand.
Climate and health hazards weighing on volumes
The price surge is explained by a combination of production difficulties on both sides of the Mediterranean. In Spain, devastating attacks by insect pests such as thrips have caused significant crop losses, forcing Iberian farmers to turn to imports. On the Moroccan side, rising temperatures disrupted the greenhouse growing cycle, temporarily capping harvests at around 35 per cent of typical volumes in certain Souss farms. This climate stress also complicates greenhouse phytosanitary management, where producers apply extremely strict treatment standards to comply with European residue thresholds, thereby guaranteeing the health and safety quality of exported produce.
Valuing agricultural skills and supporting local MSMEs
This tight market environment once again demonstrates the heavy dependence of European markets on national market crops, with nearly all peppers imported by Spain coming from the Kingdom’s farms. As professionals anticipate a gradual return to normal volumes within two weeks, the priority challenge for Souss-Massa consists of strengthening the resilience of small and medium agricultural enterprises against climate hazards. Developing technical expertise in smart irrigation and biological crop protection enables local farmers to generate greater regional added value, while sustainably supplying regional African and international markets.
Industry : Spanish group Fluidra manufactures in Morocco
Global pool equipment specialist, Spanish giant Fluidra has started production at its new factory in Tangier. This setup is part of a global restructuring of its industrial sites.
The northern industrial hub is consolidating its attractiveness to European multinationals seeking competitiveness and logistical efficiency. Spanish group Fluidra, a global leader in pool and wellness equipment, officialised the operational launch of its new factory in Tangier during the third quarter of 2026. The announcement was made in late October by the group’s CEO, Jaime Ramírez, during the presentation of financial results to analysts. Designed as a highly competitive production platform, the Tangier site is intended to directly supply international markets, illustrating the Kingdom’s ability to attract strategic industrial investments with high added value.
International restructuring and transfer of production capacity
This commissioning is part of a global reorganization of the Iberian manufacturer’s production apparatus. To optimize manufacturing costs and strengthen its supply chain, the company chose to locate this neuralgic center in Tangier while simultaneously initiating the progressive closure of one of its production sites in China. This efficiency strategy allows the group to consolidate its profitability, recording over 20 million euros in savings over the first nine months of the year, on sales exceeding 1.77 billion euros. The choice of the Moroccan platform thus confirms its central position in the industrial reconfiguration plans of major global groups.
A positive impact on the economic fabric and local skills
Beyond industrial performance, this establishment strengthens the regional economic fabric by fostering the creation of qualified jobs and the upskilling of local human resources. The setup of the Tangier site is accompanied by a transfer of technical know-how and integrates seamlessly into the ecosystem of subcontracting SMEs in the Northern region. By joining the more than 350 Spanish companies already established in the country, the multinational participates in energising the local job market and developing a sustainable industrial model oriented towards export and local added value.
Bayern Munich : Moroccan midfielder Saibari seriously injured
Suffering from a syndesmotic ligament rupture, Moroccan international Ismaël Saibari will be sidelined for an estimated period of three to four months following successful surgery.
A blow to the Bavarian club and to the national team ahead of upcoming continental fixtures. Moroccan Bayern Munich midfielder Ismaël Saibari will undergo a lengthy recovery period estimated at three to four months after successfully undergoing surgery. The severity of the injury, resulting from a syndesmotic ligament rupture, was officially confirmed by German club executive Max Eberl the day after the operation. This prolonged absence temporarily deprives the Bavarian squad of a valuable profile, characterized by his ability to energise the midfield, break lines, and project forward quickly during attacking phases to supply the central striker.
A tactical challenge for the Bavarian coaching staff
The Moroccan international’s extended absence forces Bayern’s coaching staff to adjust their tactical options in central midfield to maintain team balance during upcoming league and European cup matches. The sports management will have to rely on squad depth and the emergence of other squad members to fill this temporary void. For the player, this physical setback arrives during a phase of steady progression at the highest European level, requiring a rigorous rehabilitation protocol and tailored medical support to ensure an optimal return to competition once full recovery is declared.
A blow for the national team and selections
Beyond club stakes, this prolonged unavailability comes as bad news for the national football landscape and the Morocco team. The Atlas Lions will have to do without the technical impact and vision of their midfielder during upcoming official gatherings. The national team’s coaching staff will thus need to explore new midfield solutions to compensate for this unique profile. This forced period of rest serves as a reminder of body vulnerability amidst the accumulation of top-tier matches, while highlighting the importance of rigorous medical care to preserve the physical health of national talents who shine for the Kingdom internationally.
Sahara : The post-MINURSO era consecrates Morocco’s sovereignty
The end of the UN mandate opens a new institutional phase for the Kingdom. Advanced regionalisation under the leadership of the Crown strengthens territorial development and the legitimacy of the Southern Provinces.
The evolution of the diplomatic framework at the United Nations marks a major strategic shift in the definitive management of the Southern Provinces. With traditional mediation mechanisms rendered obsolete and formally concluded, the institutional vacuum is now filled by the effective and legitimate exercise of state authority across the entire national territory. This transition confirms the primacy of the Kingdom’s sovereignty, backed by an unprecedented international consensus. The opening of nearly thirty consulates general in Laâyoune and Dakhla, combined with explicit recognition from major global powers, confirms the irreversible status of the issue. On the ground, this legal reality translates into full administrative integration, palpable economic growth, and massive participation by local populations in national elections.
The centrality of the Crown and advanced regionalisation
At the heart of this new institutional architecture, the royal vision of advanced regionalisation offers an efficient and balanced model of territorial administration. The Sovereign retains exclusive control over sovereign prerogatives—notably national defence, foreign policy, internal security, and the spiritual authority of Amir Al-Mouminine—while granting regional bodies the necessary powers to manage local affairs. The centuries-old bond of the Bay’a remains the legal and moral bedrock uniting the population with the Throne, guaranteeing the unity of the Nation from Tangier to Lagouira. This protective framework allows for the autonomous day-to-day management of territories while establishing the Sovereign as the supreme arbiter of national cohesion.
Territorial development and local value creation
The fulfillment of this institutional momentum is not confined to the political sphere, but finds concrete expression in skill enhancement and the strengthening of regional economies. The implementation of the autonomy plan within the internal constitutional framework stimulates the local small and medium-sized enterprise ecosystem, fostering sustainable job creation for Sahrawi youth. From promoting responsible tourism to leveraging maritime and energy resources, structural investments directly benefit the populations of the Southern Provinces. This operational autonomy, anchored within the Constitution, guarantees equitable development insulated from external interference and oriented towards shared prosperity.
Economy : Morocco’s growth facing the employment challenge
Major international financial institutions confirm the Kingdom’s macroeconomic solidity, projecting sustained growth. However, weak creation of sustainable jobs remains the main challenge to overcome.
The Kingdom displays remarkable and rare macroeconomic credibility on a regional scale, driven by strong fundamentals and ambitious public investment momentum. According to projections by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, national gross domestic product growth is expected to reach 5.0% in 2026 before settling at 3.9% in 2027, while inflation is projected to temporarily rise to 3.2% before landing at 1.4%. These forecasts align with analyses by the World Bank, which praised a 4.9% expansion in 2025, marking the highest annual pace recorded over the past decade. Despite these highly favourable indicators supported by infrastructure modernization, the national economy remains vulnerable to global energy shocks and faces a core contradiction between accelerating wealth output and its low capacity to generate sufficient employment.
Labor market divide and the challenge of underutilization
The main concern raised by international donors lies in the persistent gap between economic performance and citizens’ professional integration. The World Bank highlights overall labor underutilization reaching 22.5%, emphasizing the need to accelerate corporate digital transformation and support productivity to absorb new entrants. For its part, the International Monetary Fund confirms the resilience of Moroccan fiscal and monetary policy, while warning against the risk of social tensions if investment efforts do not translate into quality jobs. Integrating youth and women into the labor market thus remains the absolute priority for delivering an inclusive development model.
Strategic directions for more inclusive growth
To convert this story of credibility into shared prosperity, the Kingdom relies on a more effective link between major structural projects and the local small and medium-sized enterprise fabric. The strategic challenge for coming years consists of diversifying the productive ecosystem beyond capital-intensive sectors to stimulate labor-rich industries. Widespread digitalization, improved vocational training programmes, and the encouragement of entrepreneurship constitute the essential levers identified to bridge the employment divide. This roadmap will consolidate the economic trajectory while guaranteeing lasting social balance across the entire national territory.
U17 World Cup in Morocco : Ghana and Nigeria through to the quarter-finals
Following the historic qualification of four African teams for the round of 16, Ghana and Nigeria are continuing their campaigns in the U17 Women’s World Cup being held in Morocco. The Black Maidens face Japan, whilst the Flamingos take on Venezuela. These are two major opportunities for the African continent to reach the World Cup semi-finals on Moroccan soil.
Exceptional campaigns that illustrate Africa’s maturity
Nigeria have made a particularly strong impression at this tournament, first defeating North Korea, the reigning world champions, before convincingly knocking out Mexico. For its part, Ghana showed nerves of steel by overcoming an opening defeat to hold Brazil to a draw, beat Canada and then knock out Argentina on penalties. These outstanding performances highlight the ability of young African teams to compete with the world’s footballing giants.
A continental showcase driven by the vision of King Mohammed VI
Hosting this major competition in Morocco provides unprecedented international exposure for the continent’s female talent. It highlights the work of the coaching staff and opens up new investment opportunities for training, clubs and national leagues across Africa.
Thanks to the state-of-the-art facilities developed under the leadership of His Majesty King Mohammed VI combining pitches that meet international standards, integrated accommodation and sports medicine the Kingdom offers an optimal environment for performance. By hosting five consecutive editions of the tournament (2025–2029), Morocco is consolidating its expertise in organising major FIFA competitions in the run-up to the 2030 World Cup.
Sahara : King Mohammed VI welcomes the end of MINURSO
The United Nations Security Council did not renew MINURSO’s mandate at its meeting on 30 October 2026, marking a historic turning point for Morocco. In a statement issued by the Royal Cabinet, His Majesty King Mohammed VI welcomed this major development, which definitively closes the Sahara dossier at UN level. This decision coincides with the celebration of Unity Day, signifying a strategic shift towards the Kingdom’s full sovereignty.
The end of 35 years of UN presence in the southern provinces
The non-renewal of MINURSO’s mandate implies the imminent withdrawal of its personnel, vehicles and equipment from the Kingdom’s Saharan provinces. This step brings to an end a mission established 35 years ago, described by the Royal Cabinet as an instrument inherited from an anachronistic context that has long fuelled the internationalisation of this regional dispute.
Consequently, this development marks the end of the Security Council’s consideration of the matter and the removal of the issue from its agenda. Statutory meetings, the Secretary-General’s reports and the Personal Envoy’s briefings are now no longer required, thereby suspending a UN political process that had been hampered by the procrastination of the other parties.
Commitment to the ceasefire and consolidation of diplomatic achievements
Whilst expressing its satisfaction at this historic development, Morocco has reaffirmed its firm commitment to upholding the ceasefire, whilst strictly respecting its territorial integrity, national security and the peace and security of its citizens. Similar steps will also be taken shortly within other United Nations bodies.
This decision crowns the international momentum spearheaded by His Majesty King Mohammed VI, which has already succeeded in rallying the support of more than two-thirds of UN member states, including permanent members of the Security Council, behind the plan for autonomy under Moroccan sovereignty as the sole solution to this dispute
