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The other side of Morocco’s football renaissance: a major crisis awaiting resolution
As Moroccan football continues to make significant gains in terms of national teams, infrastructure and international presence, the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, Fouzi Laqia, has returned to warn of a different reality in the local league, warning of worsening debt, rising conflicts and turning the games into arenas for protests.
This warning is of particular importance because it is sounded by the first official who… He has been in charge of the Moroccan football system since 2014It is a period that has seen the launch of a series of financial and administrative reform projects, at a time when available financial data shows that a number of the biggest clubs are still facing millions of dollars in debt and disputes, which again raises questions about the extent of the success of the reforms, addressing one of the most complex professional affairs.
A clear technical gap… Protests and debts have become the name of the tournament
During a preparatory seminar for the 2026-2027 sports season, Laqia, in a meeting with professional league coaches and members of the national technical administration, said that the reality of the local league has differed from previous eras when Moroccan clubs were the main source of players for the national teams.
He explained that Morocco’s last participation in the World Cup was in the United States This gap is mirroredLocal league representation in the national team was limited to two reserve goalkeepers, while foreign clubs benefited from the majority of international players.
He added that the core base of national teams is increasingly dependent on graduates of the Mohammed VI Football Academy, in addition to professional players in European leagues.
Lakya further criticized the reality of local competitions, saying that the championship matches have turned into arbitrage and mutual accusations of refereeing and publication of reports instead of focusing on technical level development.
He also warned that the accumulation of debts and financial deficits at clubs had led to an increase in disputes before judicial and appeals committees, with consequences reaching the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA).
The president of the university’s speech did not have numbers to show the extent of the crisis he talked about, according to the news he published.Radio Mars Two days ago.
The numbers are telling: millions of dollars in debt and ongoing disputes
Data published up to 2026 show a more detailed picture. The professional league data showed that it has only 8 clubs in the first division About 29.5 million dirhams in financial disputes, That’s roughly $3.2 million.
Ittihad Tangier topped the list with more than 12.5 million dirhams (about $1.3 million), followed by Difa El Hassani El Jadid with about 7.2 million dirhams (about $770,000) and then Wydad Athletic Club at about 3.9 million dirhams (about $420,000).
Wydad Club’s filings reflect the larger scale of the crisis, with its liabilities to users and players totaling 30.75 million dirhams (about $3.3 million), of which 18.8 million dirhams (about $2 million) are signed grants that have not been spent.
Also, of the 41 million dirhams owed to other clubs, 28.2 million dirhams (about $3 million) are still in dispute before FIFA or the Court of Arbitration for Sport, while the club’s cash flow has gone from a surplus to a negative balance.
On the other hand, Raja Sports Club’s financial assessment showed a decline in the deficit from 145.6 million dirhams to 99.5 million dirhams (about $15.6 million to $10.6 million) between 2024 and 2025, but disbursements related to litigation and tax disputes exceeded 1 million dirhams (79 million dirhams 1 million disputes in 2009). dollars), reflecting the ongoing effects of backlogs.
12 years of reforms… and the financial case is still not closed
Laquia has been the president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation since 2014, and during these years, Moroccan football has witnessed major transformations at national team level, developing infrastructure, hosting tournaments and strengthening its presence in international football institutions. The budget of the professional tournament has increased to 965 million dirhamsequivalent to about 103 million dollars for the new season.
But on the other hand, the financial affairs of the clubs remained present at almost every stage, despite repeated talks about reforming the professional system and strengthening financial management.
In each new term, the League’s speech has been about continuing reforms and consolidating achievements, while warnings from Lakya this week brought the same issues back to the fore, namely debt, fiscal deficits and frequent conflicts.
The reform took years… and the law remained suspended
The transformation of clubs from associations to sports companies is one of the most important projects proposed by the university to address the financial imbalance. But this path started slowly.
The law governing this transformation was promulgated in 2004However, Lakya admitted in October 2025 that the law “has not been implemented as required”, explaining that the first real attempts had only started in recent years, before the government further intervened with tax breaks to speed up the conversion process.
This means that one of the most important instruments of financial reform took many years to be put into practice, although it continued to be a major focus of professional reform discourse.
Legal issues
These data do not mean that the Moroccan football development project has not achieved results. The national teams have made remarkable leaps, the infrastructure has developed and Morocco’s presence has strengthened on the continent and internationally in recent years. But on the other hand, Lakyaa’s own statements show that the professional championship, which should represent the natural basis of this project, still suffers from financial and technical imbalances that the university president admits limit its chances of keeping up with these achievements.
These statements take on a special significance because they come from an official who has been in charge of the football system for more than twelve years, who has raised the slogan of continuing reforms and increasing professionalism during his successive tenures. While the numbers show continued debt and strife, and the university’s president acknowledges a widening gap between the national team and the local league, one question remains that is hard to ignore. Are the measures discussed today sufficient to solve the years-long crisis, or does the problem require a deeper review of the results of the reform process itself?
