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Marrakech – FIFA President Gianni Infantino made his first working visit to the FIFA Africa headquarters in Rabat on Friday. During his visit, Infantino toured the FIFA training workshop for women’s coaches at the Mohammed VI Football Complex.
The FIFA chief held meetings with the presidents of football federations from Senegal, South Sudan, Rwanda, Gabon, and Tunisia to discuss ways to develop football across the African continent, according to a statement from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF).
In a video published on the FRMF’s official website, Infantino stressed the importance of the seminar for women’s football educators in Africa organized at the Mohammed VI Football Complex. He described Morocco as a “great football and hosting country” with all the necessary infrastructure to contribute to the development of African football.
VIDEO TO BE EMBEDDED HERE
The FIFA president expressed satisfaction with the meetings held with several African federation presidents.
These discussions focused on ways to further develop African football and strengthen its position on the international stage. “I am happy to be in Morocco, at the FIFA Africa headquarters for intense and very productive days,” Infantino concluded.
The FIFA Africa headquarters, which Infantino visited for the first time since its inauguration, is located within the Mohammed VI Football Complex. The facility was officially opened on July 26, in a ceremony attended by FRMF President Fouzi Lekjaa and Confederation of African Football (CAF) President Patrice Motsepe.
The primary mission of this new office is to support African federations in implementing their development projects. The headquarters houses various FIFA strategic divisions including women’s football development, the Football for Schools program, FIFA Arena, youth competitions, infrastructure, governance, and other sectors.
FIFA office strengthens ties with African countries
Around twenty professionals from Morocco, Senegal, Mali, Congo, and France have been recruited to staff this African hub of world football. This diversity reflects the universality of the sport and FIFA’s inclusive vision for Africa.
The central office is housed in a building designed by Moroccan architect Mourad Aziz El Kohen, a graduate of the National School of Architecture in Rabat (1999) and ISCAE (2007). The contemporary structure was designed to promote a collaborative work environment focused on excellence.
During the inauguration ceremony in July, Infantino had called the opening “a historic moment, a festive and joyful day that will be engraved in golden letters in the history of FIFA and football in Africa, in Morocco, and around the world.”
Morocco is set to host several major sporting events in the coming years, including the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON), the next five editions of the FIFA U-17 Women’s World Cup, and the 2030 FIFA World Cup, which will be co-hosted with Spain and Portugal.
CAF President Motsepe had welcomed the establishment of FIFA’s Africa office in Morocco during the inauguration, stating that “there could not be a better place to establish this office.” He expressed confidence that African football will dominate the global stage in the coming years.
The FIFA Africa Office joins similar FIFA hubs in Paris, France; Miami, United States; and Jakarta, Indonesia. These offices support FIFA’s goal of building closer and stronger local connections to its 211 Member Associations worldwide to facilitate football’s growth globally.
The headquarters agreement for the FIFA Africa office in Morocco was signed in December 2024 in Marrakech during the 2024 CAF Awards ceremony. The agreement was signed by Morocco’s Head of Government Aziz Akhannouch, FIFA President Infantino, and FRMF President Lekjaa.
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