Morocco Set For Women's World Cup Debut in Another Landmark

FILE - The United States players hold the trophy as they celebrate winning the Women's World Cup final soccer match against The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France on July 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
FILE - The United States players hold the trophy as they celebrate winning the Women's World Cup final soccer match against The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France on July 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
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Morocco Set For Women's World Cup Debut in Another Landmark

FILE - The United States players hold the trophy as they celebrate winning the Women's World Cup final soccer match against The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France on July 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)
FILE - The United States players hold the trophy as they celebrate winning the Women's World Cup final soccer match against The Netherlands at the Stade de Lyon in Decines, outside Lyon, France on July 17, 2019. (AP Photo/Francisco Seco, File)

Months after the men's groundbreaking run to the semi-finals in Qatar, Morocco's women will make World Cup history of their own on Monday.

When the Atlas Lionesses face two-times former champions Germany in Melbourne they will be the first Arab team to play at a Women's World Cup.

It has not gone unnoticed in a country mad about football and still buzzing from what their men did at the Qatar World Cup in December.

"They will do just as well as the men," said 14-year-old Rabab Tougha after a training session at the football school of the local club in the Casablanca neighbourhood of Avadas, AFP reported.

It is her ambition to play the sport internationally, "especially after what the Atlas Lionesses have done".

Morocco's women enjoyed a surprise run to the final of last year's Africa Cup of Nations, which they hosted, before losing 2-1 to South Africa in front of over 50,000 spectators in Rabat.

That was followed by the men's remarkable performance in Qatar when they became the first African and first Arab team to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup, where they lost to France.

Those performances have encouraged girls to take up football and the number of players registered at the Avadas academy -- for youths who often come from underprivileged families -- has increased to more than 50 from about 10 a year ago.

"The girls are motivated and want to learn how to play football" after seeing the success of the men's and women's national teams, coach Mohamed Jidi told AFP.

"We can see the impact. We had a girl who played rugby, others who played basketball or did athletics. But then they all wanted to start playing football because they decided there was a future in it."

Morocco are in Group H at the Women's World Cup and as well as Germany will face South Korea and Colombia.

They are one of the lowest-ranked teams in Australia and New Zealand and it would be a surprise if they get out of the group, but captain Ghizlane Chebbak knows the men have raised expectations.

"Moroccan fans have that passion, as do us players, and we will give everything to make them satisfied," she told FIFA.com.

"The men have shown us that nothing is impossible if you fight for it and you stay focused," she added.

That women's football is growing in popularity in Morocco is thanks to a development strategy put in place in 2020.

"The federation invested in women's football. Since then, mentalities have changed and the interest and evolution are palpable," Khadija Illa, president of the Moroccan women's league, told AFP.

In 2021, the North African kingdom set up a two-division professional women's league with 42 clubs, each of which committed to also launching teams at Under-17 and Under-15 level.

The Royal Moroccan Football Federation picks up 70 percent of the expenses of each club, where players earn a minimum salary of 3,500 dirhams ($360) per month in the top flight and 2,500 dirhams in the second tier. The average monthly salary in Morocco is $400.

"Its success is reliant on a sporting policy that works and financial help." said Illa, a former professional player.

"The more you invest, the better results you get."



Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal: Team Ownership Could Be Next F1 Step for Saudi Arabia 

Formula One F1 - Bahrain Grand Prix - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - April 13, 2025 Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, president of Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation is pictured on the grid before the Bahrain Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Bahrain Grand Prix - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - April 13, 2025 Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, president of Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation is pictured on the grid before the Bahrain Grand Prix. (Reuters)
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Khalid bin Sultan Al-Faisal: Team Ownership Could Be Next F1 Step for Saudi Arabia 

Formula One F1 - Bahrain Grand Prix - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - April 13, 2025 Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, president of Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation is pictured on the grid before the Bahrain Grand Prix. (Reuters)
Formula One F1 - Bahrain Grand Prix - Bahrain International Circuit, Sakhir, Bahrain - April 13, 2025 Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal, president of Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation is pictured on the grid before the Bahrain Grand Prix. (Reuters)

Owning a Formula One team could be the next step for Saudi Arabia after sponsoring the sport and hosting a grand prix, according to the president of Saudi Automobile and Motorcycle Federation.

Prince Khalid bin Sultan Al-Abdullah Al-Faisal told reporters in a video call ahead of this weekend's race in Jeddah that the interest was there.

"It could happen, it could happen soon if you see the growth (of the sport)," he said.

"If you are going to buy a Formula One team then people will buy it to make money out of it, especially if it's going to be bought by one of the PIF (Saudi Public Investment Fund) companies.

"We see Formula One is reaching new markets, sales are globally increasing ...

"It's not easy to say which team to buy and how you're going to manage it. But we have a lot of interest ... we're hosting Formula One, sponsoring teams. So I wouldn't be surprised if we see an announcement for a Saudi team."

Saudi Arabia first hosted Formula One in 2021, while energy giant Aramco is a global partner of the sport and also title sponsor of the Aston Martin team.

The PIF invested in McLaren in 2021 and already has a 20.5% stake in luxury carmaker Aston Martin, which is separate from the team controlled by Canadian billionaire Lawrence Stroll.

Aston Martin, the carmaker, said last month it would raise more than 125 million pounds ($163.5 million) from Stroll, who is also its chairman, and the sale of its stake in the F1 team.

Investment bank Raine Group has been commissioned by Stroll to help find a buyer for that holding.

There is also lingering speculation about the future of the Renault-owned Alpine team, despite the French carmaker's insistence that a sale is not on the agenda.

'WHY NOT?'

Other Middle Eastern countries who host races have ties to Formula One, with the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) holding a significant minority stake in the Audi team due to debut next year.

Bahrain's sovereign wealth fund Mumtalakat is major shareholder in champions McLaren, with Abu Dhabi's CYVN Holdings recently acquiring McLaren Automotive.

Saudi Arabia has invested heavily in sports over the last few years with the aim to become a global sports hub.

Formula One is enjoying a surge of support in the Middle East with younger female fans the fastest growing demographic globally, according to Nielsen Sports. The region has four of the 24 races.

Formula One teams have soared in value of late, with new audiences attracted by the Netflix docu-series "Drive to Survive".

Alpine, sixth overall last year with Aston Martin fifth, were valued at around $900 million in 2023 after an investor group took a 24% stake for $200 million.

With General Motors-backed Cadillac coming in next year as an 11th team, there remains a space for one more.

"Personally, I would like to see a Saudi team," said Prince Khalid.

"But if Saudi Arabia or one of the Saudi companies will be involved in one of the teams, I would like them to do it the right way and be successful. It's a tricky question, but why not?"