FIFA allows Morocco league to run during 2026 World Cup

Morocco’s top-flight football season will be allowed to continue through the 2026 FIFA World Cup period after world football’s governing body granted an exceptional approval to the country’s league calendar, according to reports.

The decision means the 2025–2026 Botola Pro campaign will run into late June and is now expected to conclude around 27 June 2026, creating an unusual overlap with the global tournament scheduled to take place in the United States, Canada and Mexico.

FIFA’s approval represents a rare exception in international football scheduling and has been made possible largely due to timing differences between Morocco and the World Cup host nations, which reduces direct clashes in broadcast windows.

The arrangement allows Moroccan domestic football to continue during a period when most leagues around the world typically pause in order to accommodate the World Cup.

Unusual scheduling circumstances

The extension of the Botola Pro season into the World Cup period has been attributed to a congested football calendar in Morocco over recent seasons.

The country has been heavily involved in hosting and participating in multiple competitions, including the 2024 African Nations Championship (CHAN), the 2025 Arab Cup and the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations.

These events have contributed to a backlog of fixtures in the domestic league, forcing several postponements.

Alongside international commitments, Moroccan clubs competing in African interclub tournaments have also added pressure to the schedule, further disrupting the normal rhythm of league fixtures.

As a result, the Botola Pro has been unable to follow its originally planned timetable, leaving organisers with limited flexibility heading into the final stages of the season.

FIFA approval and broadcast considerations

According to information reported by Radio Mars, FIFA has agreed to a revised scheduling framework that permits matches in the Moroccan top division to take place during the World Cup period.

A key factor in the approval is the time difference between Morocco and the World Cup host countries.

With matches being staged in North America, FIFA concluded that direct clashes in viewing times could be minimised.

Under the approved arrangement, Botola Pro fixtures will be scheduled at times designed to avoid overlap with World Cup matches, particularly in key broadcast slots.

This is intended to ensure that domestic football does not compete directly with the global tournament for audiences.

The decision highlights FIFA’s willingness to make adjustments in exceptional cases where domestic calendar pressures and international commitments combine to create scheduling difficulties.

Revised domestic planning

The Moroccan football authorities and competition organisers are now required to restructure the closing stages of the season to accommodate the revised timeline.

This involves adjusting fixtures to ensure the league can be completed by the newly projected end date of 27 June 2026, while still respecting the global football calendar.

The Botola Pro will therefore operate under a carefully managed schedule during the World Cup period, with match timings selected to avoid direct conflicts with international fixtures.

🇲🇦⚽ Botola Pro Inwi: feu vert de la FIFA pour jouer pendant le Mondial 2026https://t.co/X5jus6YpGi

— Le360 (@Le360fr) April 27, 2026

The World Cup itself is set to begin on 11 June 2026 and will conclude with the final on 19 July 2026.

The overlap between the two competitions has led to an unusual coordination effort between domestic and international football authorities in Morocco.

Balancing domestic and global football

The decision reflects the broader challenge faced by football associations in managing congested calendars that include domestic leagues, continental tournaments and expanded international competitions.

For Morocco, the adjustment allows the domestic season to be completed without further disruption, despite the unusual timing.

It also ensures that clubs and players can continue competitive action while the World Cup is taking place elsewhere.

While such overlaps are uncommon, the approval underscores the flexibility sometimes required in global football scheduling when multiple competitions intersect.

As things stand, the Botola Pro will proceed through the World Cup period under adjusted conditions, marking one of the rare occasions where a domestic league continues alongside football’s most high-profile international tournament.