The new Morocco 2030 Foundation takes the reins of the World Cup
A Royal Decree (dahir) has officially ended the partisan battle over who will lead the Moroccan government during the 2030 World Cup. Political parties, both in the majority and the opposition, have lost the contest with the birth of the new foundation, which will be responsible for governing the World Cup, regardless of who wins the 2026 legislative elections.
The Morocco 2030 Foundation, legally established in accordance with Royal Decree No. 1.25.54, published in Official Gazette No. 7428 on 7 August, will oversee all FIFA and African Football Confederation events in Morocco.
Under the chairmanship of Fouzi Lekjaa, Minister of Budget and President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), the Morocco 2030 Foundation will enjoy considerable financial autonomy and executive authority beyond political election cycles.
Morocco 2030 Foundation
With abundant resources and a clear mandate, this institutional entity will oversee sports and infrastructure projects, independently of electoral considerations, to successfully organise this global event, which will mark an era in Morocco.
The creation of this foundation frees the 2030 World Cup from political calculations relating to the upcoming electoral battle, putting the focus on what is truly important for the country, namely the organisation of the event and its repercussions. Morocco's ambition is for the 2030 World Cup to build a sporting, economic and territorial legacy that will shape the coming decades.
The publication of the Royal Decree promulgating Law No. 35-25 has clarified the situation and put an end, once and for all, to the disputes between party leaders and ministers who had expressed their ambition to head the election results with the aim of leading the World Cup government.
According to the official legislative text, the Morocco 2030 Foundation will cooperate with the relevant administrations and bodies to prepare, organise and improve all international football events awarded to Morocco by FIFA or CAF.
At the service of modernisation
The Morocco 2030 Foundation is an institution that enables work related to preparations to be carried out, focusing on ensuring quality, speed and efficiency, far from any political or electoral exploitation.
Fouzi Lekjaa was officially appointed by King Mohammed VI as president of the foundation, responsible for coordinating measures and supervising work on the ground for all preparations for major sporting events and the accompanying infrastructure.
In this regard, the mission of the Morocco 2030 Foundation covers, in addition to the World Cup, all international football competitions assigned to Morocco by FIFA or CAF until 2030.
The Foundation's Executive Council is composed of representatives from the Ministries of the Interior, Foreign Affairs and Budget, as well as public companies, local authorities and other institutions as necessary.
This council is responsible for assessing the progress of works related to sporting events, proposing corrective measures in the event of delays and monitoring the commitments made by the State.
For the Foundation's president, the 2030 World Cup, like the 2025 African Cup of Nations, must leave a lasting legacy for the whole country, not just the host cities. According to this global vision, the event will be an opportunity to modernise infrastructure, create development projects and stimulate economic growth in all regions of the country.
With an estimated total investment budget of 150 billion dirhams, the foundation will oversee the implementation of large-scale projects in several vital economic sectors across the country.
In the transport sector, Lekjaa announced a public-private partnership backed by annual funding of 1.6 billion dirhams until 2030, which will enable the development of the high-speed rail network and regional lines connecting Casablanca, Rabat and Tangier, without losing sight of the integration and inclusion of the southern provinces in order to strengthen territorial cohesion.
In terms of financing, the minister stated that the strategy adopted by the foundation will not place a burden on public finances. With an approach based on cooperation with the Caisse de Dépôt et de Gestion (CDG) and the Société Nationale de Réalisation et de Gestion des Installations Sportives (SONARGES), the Morocco 2030 Foundation aims to amortise the costs over 20 years through an innovative economic model.