Fouzi Lekjaa's Stance on AFCON Final and 2030 World Cup
Fouzi Lekjaa is not backing down.
With the 8 October hearing at the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) looming, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation has nailed Morocco’s colours firmly to the mast in the dispute over the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations final against Senegal. For Lekjaa, this is no diplomatic skirmish. It is a battle over the letter of the law and the spirit of fair play.
In a wide-ranging interview with “Jeune Afrique”, relayed by “Al-Shorouk”, Lekjaa laid out Morocco’s case and its broader ambitions, from the contested AFCON final to the race to host the 2030 World Cup showpiece.
Morocco digs in over AFCON final
Lekjaa framed Morocco’s stance in stark terms: this is not about politics, prestige or side deals. It is, he insisted, about the regulations that govern elite football.
The Moroccan federation, he said, is convinced that Senegal violated competition rules during the final when players and members of the coaching staff left the pitch. That act, in Morocco’s reading, crosses a clear regulatory line and cannot be treated as a mere incident in a heated match. It strikes at the integrity of international competitions.
Lekjaa underlined that point by noting a development that he believes supports Morocco’s position: FIFA has since amended certain provisions to stiffen sanctions in similar cases. For him, that is no coincidence. It highlights how vital it is to uphold regulations and to shut the door on behaviour that might erode the framework of fair competition.
Confident in the legal route chosen, he made it clear that Morocco will keep pushing its case through the recognised judicial and sporting bodies. The objective, as he presented it, is straightforward: protect Morocco’s rights and ensure that the rules apply equally to everyone involved.
CAS hearing just one step in a long fight
The 8 October date at CAS has been circled on calendars across African football, but Lekjaa warned against viewing it as judgment day.
He described the hearing as one phase in what could be a drawn-out legal process. CAS, he stressed, may not deliver a final ruling at that first sitting. The case file can be reopened, examined again, and subjected to further hearings if needed. This dispute may yet stretch on before a definitive decision comes down.
Throughout that process, Morocco intends to stand firmly on its legal arguments, seeking a ruling that, in its eyes, entrenches respect for the regulations that govern both continental and global competitions.
Eyes on 2030: Morocco’s World Cup final dream
From the courtroom, Lekjaa shifted to the grand stage of 2030.
Morocco, alongside Spain and Portugal, will host the 2030 World Cup. Within that joint bid lies a fierce internal contest: which country gets the final? Lekjaa made it clear that Morocco will not tiptoe around that question.
He stressed that Morocco is scrupulously following every procedure laid down by FIFA. That includes welcoming inspection committees, complying with technical criteria, and respecting the official mechanisms that will determine which cities and stadiums host the tournament’s biggest matches.
At the same time, he insisted Morocco has every right to defend its candidacy to stage the final as Africa’s representative in the bid. Ambition, he argued, does not clash with respect for process. Morocco wants the showpiece match, but it wants it through the channels FIFA has established, not by bending them.
Loyalty to Infantino, with conditions
Lekjaa also addressed a topic that often stirs debate in African football politics: his relationship with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.
He defended his support for Infantino by rooting it in a broader belief that football can bring nations closer and act as a bridge between peoples. For Lekjaa, backing the head of FIFA is part of a vision of a game that unites rather than divides.
That support, he was keen to stress, does not equate to a blank cheque. He spoke of the need to strengthen governance within FIFA itself, calling for greater balance, transparency and robust management of world football. Personalities matter less to him than systems.
His stance, as he framed it, is anchored in principles and institutions, not in loyalty to any one individual. The goal is a strong, balanced structure capable of managing the often competing interests that collide at the top of the global game.
As 8 October approaches and the 2030 World Cup takes shape, Lekjaa has placed Morocco squarely at the heart of both the legal and political arenas. The question now is simple: will the courts and the corridors of power bend towards his vision of how football should be run?
