Morocco Creates Women's Football Department for 2026 Goals

Morocco is betting big on women's football, and the country's top soccer officials just created an entire department to prove it.

Fouzi Lekjaa, president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, ordered the creation of a specialized technical unit focused entirely on developing elite women's players. The announcement came Monday after Khadija Ila, president of the National Women's Football League, presented impressive progress since the federation launched its women's strategy in 2020.

The numbers tell a compelling story. Morocco has professionalized its top two women's divisions, expanded participation across the country, and seen its clubs and national teams perform better in international competitions. Now the federation is pushing toward full professionalism between 2024 and 2026.

The new department will sit within the National Technical Directorate and design training programs specifically for women's football. Its mission is clear: develop players capable of wearing the national team jersey at the highest level.

Lekjaa emphasized that reaching that goal requires better coaching standards and stronger competition between clubs. He also called for Morocco to keep pace with the rapid global growth of women's football through a focused technical vision.

But the changes go beyond training programs. Lekjaa pushed for stricter governance across women's competitions, urging the league to enforce regulations more rigorously and improve oversight of coaching, medical, and administrative staff. Better financial and human resource management also made his priority list.

Infrastructure matters too. Lekjaa asked regional leagues to develop facilities dedicated specifically to women's football, supporting the sport's expansion under Morocco's 2026-2030 development strategy.

The Ripple Effect

Morocco's investment in women's football sends ripples far beyond its borders. As the North African nation prepares to co-host the 2026 Men's World Cup, building a strong women's program demonstrates commitment to growing the game for everyone.

The federation's executive committee recognized that Moroccan women's football has made significant strides thanks to long-term planning. Their focus now shifts to maintaining investment in player development and spreading participation to every corner of the country.

For young Moroccan girls dreaming of representing their nation, that dedicated department means something powerful: their country believes in them enough to build systems designed specifically for their success.