Fouzi Lekjaa warns Moroccan league remains the weakest link in country’s football success

Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) president Fouzi Lekjaa has warned that Morocco’s domestic league remains the biggest challenge facing the country’s football project, despite the remarkable progress made by its national teams and football infrastructure in recent years.

Addressing coaches from the professional league and members of the national technical administration during a workshop ahead of the 2026-27 season, Lekjaa said growing financial problems, legal disputes and a decline in the league’s technical standards were threatening the long-term development of Moroccan football.

His comments come after more than a decade at the helm of the FRMF, during which Morocco has enjoyed unprecedented success on the international stage, including major investments in infrastructure, stronger representation within global football and continued progress by its national teams.

Domestic league no longer driving national team

Lekjaa acknowledged that the Moroccan league is no longer producing the core of the national team, pointing to the country’s recent FIFA World Cup campaign as evidence of the widening gap.

He noted that only two reserve goalkeepers from the domestic league were part of Morocco’s squad, while the majority of the national team consisted of players based in European clubs and graduates of the Mohammed VI Football Academy.

The FRMF president also criticised the atmosphere surrounding the domestic competition, saying matches had become dominated by protests, refereeing complaints and public disputes rather than football development.

He warned that mounting debts had resulted in an increasing number of cases being taken before national judicial bodies and FIFA, with Moroccan clubs becoming increasingly involved in legal disputes.

Financial figures underline concerns

Recent financial data highlights the scale of the challenge facing several Botola clubs.

Figures published in 2026 show that eight top-flight clubs were involved in financial disputes worth approximately 29.5 million Moroccan dirhams.

Ittihad Tanger accounted for the largest share, with liabilities exceeding 12.5 million dirhams, followed by Difaa El Jadida with around 7.2 million dirhams and Wydad Athletic Club with nearly 3.9 million dirhams in disputes.

Separate financial documents also reveal Wydad’s wider obligations remain substantial, with debts to players and service providers reaching 30.75 million dirhams, including 18.8 million dirhams in unpaid signing bonuses.

The Casablanca club also continues to face legal disputes involving 28.2 million dirhams owed to other clubs through cases before FIFA and the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

Meanwhile, Raja Casablanca reduced its overall deficit from 145.6 million dirhams to 99.5 million dirhams between 2024 and 2025, although legal and tax-related provisions still exceeded 109 million dirhams, reflecting the financial pressures affecting even the country’s biggest clubs.

Professional reform still incomplete

Lekjaa has consistently promoted reforms since becoming FRMF president in 2014, with the professional league’s budget rising to 965 million dirhams for the new season.

However, one of the federation’s flagship reforms—the transformation of clubs from member associations into professional sports companies—has progressed more slowly than originally planned.

Although the legislation governing the change was introduced in 2004, Lekjaa acknowledged in 2025 that it had not been implemented effectively, with practical reforms only gathering momentum in recent years following government-backed tax incentives.

Success abroad, challenges at home

Morocco’s football project has continued to earn global recognition through improved infrastructure, successful tournament hosting and the sustained achievements of its national teams.

Yet Lekjaa’s latest warning highlights the contrast between that international success and the ongoing financial and structural difficulties affecting the domestic league.

His remarks suggest that while Morocco has established itself as one of Africa’s leading football nations, resolving the financial instability and governance challenges within the Botola remains essential if the country’s long-term football ambitions are to be fully realised.