Morocco seeks fourth African futsal title after decades of growth
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The Moroccan futsal team prepares to defend its African championship on October 21st, seeking a fourth consecutive title.
The team’s success began in the early 1970s in Kénitra, Morocco, where local mini-football competitions gained popularity. Mohammed El Jamaï founded the Ajax Kénitra team in 1971, which competed in international tournaments under the FIFUSA banner, a separate organization from FIFA, and helped establish Morocco’s reputation in the sport.
El Jamaï secured funding by selling personal possessions to raise 400,000 dirhams to host international competitions and later became vice-president of FIFUSA. In 1997, Morocco officially recognized futsal with a federal commission and the first national championship in Tangier. The national team formed in 1998, reaching the final of the Arab Championship but losing to Egypt.
Continued development under coaches like Mohamed Benabdelouahab and later Hicham Dguig led to Morocco winning its first African title in 2016, defeating Egypt 3-2 in Johannesburg. Dguig emphasized the need to professionalize futsal to achieve even greater success. Morocco followed up with titles in 2020 and 2024, and reached the quarter-finals of the 2021 and 2024 World Cups.
