2030 World Cup : Morocco aims for 60,000 more hotel beds
In perspective of the 2030 World Cup, the Kingdom is accelerating the modernisation of its tourism offering with the objective of creating 60,000 additional beds. This investment momentum positions the country among the most attractive hotel markets in Africa.
The joint hosting of the 2030 World Cup is driving a major acceleration for the tourism sector and the development of accommodation infrastructure across the entire national territory. In order to absorb the massive influx of visitors and meet international standards, the Kingdom has set itself the goal of adding 60,000 extra hotel beds by the 2030 deadline, representing an increase of around 20% in its overall accommodation capacity. This massive investment effort is generating considerable enthusiasm among financial operators and major international groups, consolidating Morocco’s position as the second most dynamic African market for hotel development, just behind Egypt.
Global hospitality giants reinforce their Moroccan presence
The sector’s growth prospects are heavily attracting investors and major international hotel brands. According to data published in W Hospitality Group’s 2026 report on Africa, 75 projects led by international chains are currently under development in the country, totaling more than 10,000 new rooms. Nearly 70% of these openings are planned for the years 2026 and 2027, primarily targeting major metropolises such as Casablanca, Marrakech, Rabat, and Tangier. Leading players such as Radisson, Hilton, Accor, Four Seasons, Ennismore, as well as national operator Risma, are expanding their locations, backed by large-scale international financial arrangements and support from strategic investment funds.
Towards a sustainable tourism model by 2030
Beyond simply responding to the needs of the global sporting event, authorities and private players intend to transform this equipment drive into a lever for sustainable growth for the national economy. The challenge of this expansion policy lies in integrating sustainability through responsible management of water resources, opening up new tourist areas, and creating qualified local jobs. This transformation of the hotel landscape is set to accompany the expansion of air links and the diversification of the cultural offering, allowing Morocco to reach its strategic goal of 26 million tourists by 2030 with confidence.
Used vehicle transfer : Morocco simplifies administrative procedures
The National Road Safety Agency (Agence nationale de la sécurité routière) is easing the registration certificate process for used vehicles. Buyers can now submit their application to services or postal branches located in either the seller’s or the buyer’s place of residence.
The Moroccan administration has taken another step forward in modernising and facilitating procedures for road users. The National Road Safety Agency has formalised a major relaxation of the regulatory procedure for transferring ownership of used vehicles in Morocco. Following the implementation of this decision, buyers are free to submit their complete registration file either to the competent authority attached to their own place of residence, or to the one covering the seller’s address. This long-awaited measure aims to relieve congestion at registration centres while significantly reducing travel constraints for both private individuals and automotive industry professionals.
Enhanced proximity through the postal and digital network
To offer citizens greater flexibility and streamline the processing of registration documents, the national agency is also relying on an expanded territorial network of local partners. Users can submit their supporting documents at Barid Bank branches as well as Barid Cash outlets located within the area of residence of either party to the transaction. In parallel, all practical arrangements, documentation requirements, and preliminary steps remain directly accessible online via the digital platform khadamatnarsa.ma to assist users during the transition to these simplified services.
Major relief for the used-car market
This administrative reform meets the growing expectations of dealerships and commercial operators specialising in used-car sales across the national territory. By removing strict geographic restrictions that previously required long trips to settle the administrative status of a motor vehicle, the new directive guarantees valuable time savings and lowers transaction logistics costs. This initiative is fully aligned with the Kingdom’s overall strategy to digitise public services and bring them closer to citizens to meet modern mobility needs.
Morocco : Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri’s Viral Response
Challenged under an incorrect title in the House of Representatives, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri firmly shut down opposition MPs. This Moroccan parliamentary exchange is generating widespread coverage across the international press.
A verbal exchange in the Moroccan Parliament has crossed the Kingdom’s borders and made waves in international media. On 22 October 2026, during a session in the House of Representatives, Head of Government Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri immediately corrected an opposition MP who repeatedly addressed her using the masculine title of head of government. Confidently reminding her counterpart of her official title, the leader asserted that he would have to get used to it. This incisive and symbolic intervention instantly set social media alight before being widely picked up and analyzed by foreign press outlets, particularly in Italy where major dailies such as La Repubblica and Open devoted detailed reports to the event.
A committed speech in favour of Moroccan women’s empowerment
Beyond the procedural correction issued to Justice and Development Party MPs, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri used the platform to deliver a powerful plea for women’s rights. Responding to conservative views on the role of women in society, the Head of Government affirmed that she was not a mere decorative object, but a brain, a conscience, and a set of convictions serving the nation. She strongly denounced the double standard of certain political leaders, highlighting the reality of widows and divorced women who struggle daily to support their households alone. This address, applauded in the chamber, adds major social resonance to her political action.
A historic trajectory for the first female Head of Government
The international impact of this event is also explained by the leader’s pioneering journey. A former lawyer and the first female mayor of Marrakech in 2009, Fatima Ezzahra El Mansouri became, on 29 September 2026, the first woman to lead the Moroccan government following her party’s victory in the parliamentary elections. By clearly reasserting her authority from the parliamentary podium, she marks a highly symbolic milestone in the Kingdom’s contemporary political history and embodies the evolution of female leadership within state institutions.
Ballon d’Or : Moroccan Achraf Hakimi thirteenth in the world
The Atlas Lions captain and Paris Saint-Germain full-back ranked thirteenth in the 2026 Ballon d’Or. This nomination rewards an exceptional season marked by a quadruple with his club and an African title.
International recognition continues for top-level Moroccan football stalwarts. Gradually revealed this Monday, 26 October during the prestigious 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony organized by France Football, the final ranking places Achraf Hakimi in thirteenth position globally. The right-back and Atlas Lions captain thus confirms his lasting presence among the world’s footballing elite. Having previously ranked sixth in the preceding edition, the Moroccan defender once again stands out for his consistency at the top and his major role in the collective achievements of both his club and the Morocco national team.
A historic quadruple in Parisian colors
This thirteenth-place finish crowns a particularly brilliant 2025–2026 campaign in terms of collective silverware. In the Paris Saint-Germain jersey, Achraf Hakimi was one of the key architects of a memorable quadruple featuring victories in Ligue 1, the Trophée des Champions, the UEFA Super Cup, and above all, the Champions League in the final played in Munich. His performances at right-back and his decisive attacking contributions allowed the Paris club to dominate European football throughout the season.
Proven leadership within the Moroccan national team
On the international stage, Achraf Hakimi continued to write the finest chapters of national football in the Kingdom’s colors. The Moroccan national team captain led the Atlas Lions to the ultimate title at the 2025 AFCON hosted in Morocco, before guiding his team to the quarter-finals of the 2026 World Cup. During this memorable year, the defender also reached a major symbolic milestone by celebrating his hundredth cap in the national shirt, cementing his status as a legend of Moroccan sport.
Kopa Trophy : Moroccan Ayyoub Bouaddi sixth in the world
During the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London, Moroccan international Ayyoub Bouaddi ranked sixth for the Kopa Trophy. The award for the world’s best young player was presented to Lamine Yamal for the third time.
Morocco’s young footballing talent shines once again on the highest international stage. On the occasion of the 2026 Ballon d’Or awards ceremony held in London, the young Atlas Lions international Ayyoub Bouaddi secured a highly respectable sixth place in the final standings for the Kopa Trophy. This prestigious individual distinction, which rewards the world’s best player under the age of 21, confirms the midfielder’s promising talent and the growing appeal of Moroccan gems playing in Europe’s major leagues. The presence of the young Atlas Lion among the world’s top ten prospects bears witness to the quality of development and the rise of national football.
A third consecutive crown for Spain’s Lamine Yamal
Unsurprisingly, the first award presented during this grand London evening went to Lamine Yamal, who writes another chapter in the history of this category. Having already won in 2024 and 2025, the Spanish national team forward won the Kopa Trophy for the third consecutive year. Following an exceptional season highlighted by a World Cup title with La Roja and a domestic double with FC Barcelona, the Spanish international compiled impressive statistics with 20 goals and 20 assists in 57 appearances across all competitions.
A global ranking dominated by European youth
Behind the untouchable Spanish winner, the final standings highlight the future icons of world football alongside whom the Moroccan international managed to earn his place. Lamine Yamal finished ahead of his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí as well as young Ivorian forward Yan Diomandé, who shone in the colors of RB Leipzig before signing with Real Madrid. The sixth position achieved by Ayyoub Bouaddi serves as major encouragement for the remainder of his international career and brings immense pride to supporters of the Morocco national team.
Yachine Trophy : Moroccan Yassine Bounou eighth in the world
The Atlas Lions international goalkeeper and Saudi club Al-Hilal player ranks eighth in the 2026 Yachine Trophy standings. The individual award for the best goalkeeper of the season was presented to Spain’s Unai Simón.
The 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony has delivered its verdict for the ranking of the world’s best goalkeepers. Moroccan international Yassine Bounou secured eighth place for the prestigious Yachine Trophy, an international distinction rewarding goalkeepers’ individual performances throughout the sporting season. Now playing for Al-Hilal following a notable stint in Spain, the Moroccan national team’s last line of defence confirms his consistency at the highest global level. This marks another remarkable presence in the international top ten for the player who previously reached third place on the podium in 2023 in the wake of the Atlas Lions’ historic run at the World Cup in Qatar.
Unai Simón crowned best goalkeeper of the season
The ultimate title of the 2026 Yachine Trophy was awarded to Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón, rewarding his decisive performances for Athletic Club and the Spain national team. This edition’s podium is completed by goalkeeper David Raya, following a remarkable season in Arsenal colours in the English Premier League, alongside Belgian Thibaut Courtois of Real Madrid. The Moroccan goalkeeper’s inclusion among the elite alongside these major figures of international football testifies to the continued influence of national football on the world stage.
A regular presence at the pinnacle of international football
This eighth-place finish adds to the exceptional record of the Moroccan goalkeeper, who has established himself over the years as one of the most reliable specialists of his generation. A former recipient of the Zamora Trophy for the best goalkeeper in the Spanish La Liga with Sevilla FC in 2022, Yassine Bounou finishes ahead of other world-class references in the position this year, such as Senegal’s Édouard Mendy and Switzerland’s Gregor Kobel. His consistency at the top remains a major asset for the Morocco national team looking ahead to upcoming continental and international fixtures.
AfDB : $487 million for Morocco
The Board of Directors of the African Development Bank has approved a $487 million loan for the Kingdom. This funding supports economic reforms, the private sector, and the green transition.
The African Development Bank reaffirms its confidence in the Kingdom’s strategic choices. On 21 October 2026, the board of directors of the pan-African financial institution validated substantial funding of $487 million intended to support the momentum of reforms led by Morocco. This budget allocation is earmarked for the third phase of the Support Programme for Strengthening Economic Governance and Climate Change Resilience. Through this major commitment, the international bank provides decisive support for the executive’s efforts to preserve macroeconomic balances while consolidating the national growth trajectory.
A strategic lever to boost Moroccan private investment
The first pillar of the programme focuses on refocusing state action on its core sovereign functions while stimulating private initiative as a driver of development. The reforms undertaken foresee the restructuring of the public enterprise portfolio, the modernisation of public-private partnerships, and the continuous improvement of the business climate. This framework aims to facilitate access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises, encourage innovation, and foster the integration of Morocco’s industrial fabric into global value chains. Bank officials highlighted Morocco’s consistency in maintaining its pace of structural reforms despite external shocks.
Targeted priorities on water and clean energy
The second strand of the financing focuses on the crucial challenges of climate resilience and energy efficiency. It aims to modernise the governance of the strategic water and electricity sectors while incorporating the environmental dimension into public policy planning. This intervention forms part of the global response framework to fluctuations in energy and fertiliser prices, helping to safeguard the Kingdom’s priority social spending. This new financial contribution further enriches a historical partnership initiated in 1978, which has enabled the mobilization of nearly €15 billion for more than 150 structural projects across Moroccan territory.
NATO-Morocco : Security dialogue intensifies
On an official visit to Rabat, NATO’s Special Representative for the Southern Neighbourhood praised Morocco’s strategic role. Discussions paved the way for the implementation of concrete cooperation programmes.
The Kingdom confirms its strategic position as a landmark partner for the Atlantic Alliance in North Africa and the Mediterranean basin. On 6 and 7 October 2026, Javier Colomina, Special Representative of the NATO Secretary General for the Southern Neighbourhood, conducted his third official visit to Rabat. During this diplomatic mission, the international official held talks with several senior Moroccan officials from the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and the Interior, as well as the command of the Royal Armed Forces. Centred around strengthening strategic consultation, this high-level visit aimed to take stock of mutual defence issues and outline future regional security cooperation.
Morocco establishes itself as a key regional partner
Discussions between the two parties addressed major regional security challenges, with particular emphasis on stability in North Africa and the Sahel, counter-terrorism, maritime security, and managing emerging threats. On this occasion, the Alliance’s representative described the Kingdom as a key partner in the region whose cooperation with the organization is set only to intensify. As a pioneer member of the Mediterranean Dialogue since 1994, Morocco was the first country within this regional framework to formalize a tailored Individual Partnership Programme with NATO. Furthermore, the Kingdom co-hosted a groundbreaking conference with the Alliance on the proliferation of small arms and light weapons, fully aligned with the action plan adopted at the Washington Summit.
Strategic cooperation prospects to be realized
Although this visit did not result in the immediate signing of a new defence agreement, it sets clear milestones for the future of bilateral military relations. The true impact of this renewed dialogue will be measured in light of the operational initiatives deployed over the coming months between both parties. International observers will notably monitor the updating of the Individual Partnership Programme, the launch of joint projects in maritime surveillance and counter-terrorism, and the holding of new tactical exercises and training sessions involving the Royal Armed Forces to enhance regional stability.
Land property : Morocco recovers 5,862 hectares of unvalued land
The State Property Directorate (Direction des Domaines de l’État) has recovered more than 5,862 hectares from investors who failed to meet their contractual commitments in 2025. This public land will be reallocated to new economic projects with a high social impact.
The Moroccan State is tightening rigor in the management and monitoring of its private domain to support economic development. According to the report on public land accompanying the 2027 Finance Bill, published on 23 October 2026, over 58.6 million square metres of land were recovered by the authorities in a single year. This extensive recovery operation is due to several project promoters failing to comply with the obligations set out in the specifications and allocation agreements. The close monitoring exercised by the State Property Directorate aims to penalize the freezing of public land and ensure that every allocated parcel effectively contributes to value creation and job generation. The areas returned to State ownership will be swiftly reallocated to new investment initiatives of high strategic interest.
An allocation drive focused on energy projects
Alongside these recovery measures, the Kingdom continues to mobilize its land base to support economic recovery and major industrial projects. During 2025, the authorities approved 308 projects requiring the provision of nearly 32,000 hectares of public land, representing more than 70 billion dirhams in projected investment and the expected creation of 16,333 jobs. This momentum accelerated in the first half of 2026 with the approval of an additional 114 projects covering more than 23,000 hectares. The renewable energy and energy transition sector accounts for the largest share of these land allocations, illustrating the strategic priorities of the Moroccan economy.
The State now favors long-term leasing of land
This public asset management policy is accompanied by a major shift in approach regarding how land is made available. The State is gradually moving away from outright sales in favor of long-term leasing to retain sovereign control over its land resources. The leasing option thus accounted for over 86% of the land area mobilized in 2025, before reaching an almost exclusive level of over 99% during the first half of 2026. This stricter contractual framework allows administrative bodies to regularly monitor compliance with project completion timelines and facilitates cancellation procedures in the event of investor default.
Royal Air Maroc : Record profits and multiplied investments
Driven by a net profit of two billion dirhams and a turnover of 21.5 billion in 2025, Royal Air Maroc is accelerating its profitability. The national carrier has multiplied its investments by twelve to finance the expansion of its fleet.
The national flag carrier resoundingly confirms its financial recovery and strategic shift in scale. According to budget documents accompanying the 2027 Finance Bill, Royal Air Maroc delivered particularly solid financial results for the 2025 financial year. The airline generated a turnover of 21.5 billion dirhams, marking a sustained growth of 8% year-on-year. Even more spectacular, the company’s annual profits have now surpassed the symbolic threshold of two billion dirhams. This remarkable performance definitively validates the legacy carrier’s return to profit following the loss-making financial years experienced during the global health crisis.
A spectacular acceleration in investment to fund the fleet
This excellent financial health is accompanied by a massive increase in budgetary commitments dedicated to the company’s development. After capping at 291 million dirhams in 2024, the volume of investment undertaken by the group reached 3.5 billion dirhams in 2025, representing a more than twelvefold increase in the span of a single year. This massive investment effort supports the rapid expansion of the fleet, with the airline operating approximately 71 aircraft by the end of September 2026, compared to around fifty three years earlier. To meet the surge in tourist and commercial demand, the carrier is also relying on aircraft leases while awaiting the initial deliveries from its firm orders.
Ambitious expansion targets for the Moroccan flag carrier by 2037
This investment momentum forms part of the strategic programme contract concluded with the State, which aims to expand the overall fleet to 200 aircraft by 2037. The roadmap foresees the launch of over one hundred new international routes alongside the deployment of 46 domestic links to connect regions. Aircraft deliveries resulting from the major international tender will commence in 2028. In the long term, the national carrier aims to reach the milestone of 31.6 million passengers transported annually and an annual turnover of 94 billion dirhams, thereby consolidating the Kingdom’s position as an essential aviation hub between Europe, Africa, and the Americas.
