It’s clear – for many nations around the world, football is more than a sport: it’s a cultural identity that inspires excitement and induces passion. Morocco has been one of those countries that has made a considerable impact as one of the most inspiring nations to expand the passion for football to the virtual pitch. Beyond its rapid success on the traditional discipline within their region and outside of it, since 2021 the country has embraced a new arena to reach new audiences in a modern format.

Through the support of national institutions like Fédération Royale Marocaine des Jeux Électroniques (FRMJE), the Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication and the Fédération royale marocaine de football (FRMF), Morocco has successfully built the bridge between its football heritage with football esports, which has resulted in the creation of opportunities for gamers, fans and communities to connect through competitive play in different platforms. The African nation has also played a significant role in FIFAe competitions, constantly pushing the limits and becoming one of the most dominant forces.

To understand the quick evolution of Morocco at the global stage, Abdelkader Elkalidi from the FRMJE, tells us the secret behind Morocco’s imposing presence in esports, the motivations, ongoing framework for the development of players and teams, and the long-term strategy to sustain the dominance.

The secret to Morocco’s success

Morocco has been stealing the spotlight in FIFAe competitions and other championships for a long time, but since 2022 their presence has been formidable. When we asked what the secret behind their outstanding results in terms of football esports in the last years, and their impressive qualification through three highly competitive regional stages for this year’s FIFAe tournaments, Abdelkader replied “The secret lies in a combination of strong structure, passion, national pride, and the inspiration provided by the achievements of the Moroccan football team in the Qatar World Cup. Over the past few years, Morocco has built a solid ecosystem for esports in general, from talent scouting around the world to local leagues like eBotola and eDawry, which are open to clubs and associations to help athletes compete and develop their skills.”

Beyond inspiration and national pride, the success of the nation at football esports would not be possible without a solid development system, including initiatives that have allowed the institution to localize talented and aspiring players. On how the ecosystem is built and maintained, Abdelkader added:

“(…) We've always focused on collaboration between players, and the local associations to create a professional environment where athletes can perform at their best. Most importantly, transparency is key. Only the best players, based on merit and performance, earn the honor of representing the nation on the international stage and compete with heart and a sense of responsibility.”

Morocco’s rise in the scene stands as an example of what clear vision and coordinated effort can achieve. With institutional support, discipline, and a shared sense of purpose, the country translated enthusiasm into a structured national pursuit for football esports glory.

The vision: an inclusive, structured ecosystem

Morocco’s ambitions extend far beyond short-term achievements. The long-term plan of this collaborative approach focuses on building a foundation that can sustain growth, nurture emerging talent, and ensure that there are fair opportunities for all. Abdelkader outlined this vision: “Our long-term vision is to build a sustainable and inclusive ecosystem for esports based on three pillars: infrastructure, training, and good governance, ensuring that talent continues to emerge from all regions and backgrounds."

Among the efforts to build a consistent vision: “We run comprehensive training programs for players, coaches, and referees (both in-person and via e-learning) to develop technical skills, strategic thinking, and professional discipline. At the same time, we continue to expand infrastructure, equipping youth centers with gaming consoles and PCs to make esports accessible across the country.”

Prioritizing infrastructure, good governance and structured training, Morocco is shaping the esports framework worldwide. It’s the aim for inclusiveness and consistent efforts to nurture players and aspiring players that are turning the nation into a potent football esports country. This is evident with their squads and national players like dralii, AN10_Tienes, xcharifx and many others making history across many esports competitions.

The truth behind the passion

Moroccan fans are known for their support on and offline. Competitions that involve their country, their league and players immediately gain traction and become a celebration. Moreover, Moroccan players are famous for staying tuned with football esports and actively participating. We asked Abdelkader what really drives this enthusiasm among Moroccan fans and gamers.

“Football is the number one sport in Morocco. On every street, every beach, and every local field, you'll find matches taking place and young people practicing the game. Fans passionately support their local clubs, with vibrant ultras movements bringing incredible energy to every match" He continues "In Morocco, football is more than just a sport, it's a culture and a way of life. This deep-rooted passion naturally extends to esports, especially electronic football, where players and fans share the same excitement and pride in representing and supporting their clubs and country, making Moroccans fanbase some of the most dedicated and engaged in the world.”

Fans channel their full energy and passion into every expression of the game, traditional or modern. And this is how football is made truly inclusive: no matter in which particular discipline is carried out, fans and enthusiasts will stay in touch and give their best.

How Morocco nurtures players

We know that FRMJE runs comprehensive training programs for everyone to be, not only involved, but also prepared for the game. In addition to initiatives and training programs with official certificates for players, coaches and referees, organizations take steps further to encourage and nurture professionals. When asked how the country nurtures players and produces winners, Elkalidi replied:

“(…) Competitions like eBotola and eDawry not only give players the chance to earn salaries during the season, but also feature a large audience, offering significant exposure... This platform has allowed many talented players to secure contracts with structured clubs, both at the national and international level. We are also working on structuring the ecosystem by creating standard player contracts and a transfer system, designed to protect both players and clubs, while fostering a professional and sustainable football esports environment in the country.”

Without institutional support, regular training or exposure to competition, players and teams would not be able to exploit their full potential. This is where the African nation differentiate itself: there is a consistent effort to make players acquainted with hard competition, which allows them to succeed at national, regional and international levels quite often.

Morocco as a leading esports nation

Good governance has been a cornerstone of Morocco’s progress in football esports. Even as the ecosystem continues to evolve, clear structures, transparency, and collaboration have played a decisive role in shaping the country’s growing international reputation.

“Morocco's reputation as a leading esports nation is built on good governance, which allows us to collaborate effectively with governmental bodies and private partners, essential for continuing to develop the sector in Morocco and maintaining our position among the world's leading esports nations.” as per the vision of the FRMJE. “Although still a young organization, established in 2021, we take inspiration from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, striving to build a structured, transparent, and sustainable ecosystem, we want to be perceived as innovative organization that nurtures talent, develops players, and sets high standards for electronic football, so Morocco to be recognized as a leading esports nation known for high-level talent, fairness, and strong collaboration with clubs, other federations, and partners worldwide.”

A forward-looking mindset aids Morocco to position themselves as a benchmark for excellence in football esports. It focuses on credibility, talent development, and meaningful partnerships that continue to sustain Morocco’s leadership in esports for years to come.

About Morocco and FIFAe

Morocco has rapidly established itself as one of the most consistent and competitive nations in FIFAe competitions, particularly within the African and Middle East region. Since officially embracing football esports at a national level in 2021, the country has been a regular presence in FIFAe qualifying pathways.

The country’s structured entry into international football esports began in earnest in 2021, following the establishment of the FRMJE and closer alignment with the FRMF and national institutions. Since then, Morocco’s participation in FIFAe has been defined by regular qualification, competitive resilience, and visible progression on the global stage. Not to mention the incredible support from national and international fanbases!

Morocco made its first notable impact during the FIFAe Nations Series 2022, competing in the Middle East & Africa region, where Ismabdza and kinanenabhani made the nation be the highest point scorer of the qualifiers’ group stage. This upward journey continued in the FIFAe Finals 2023, when Morocco successfully qualified for the FIFAe Nations Cup 2023™in Riyadh, represented by Adam_Hatake, MarwanC and Aymane.

When the FIFAe Finals adopted a multi-game approach in 2024, the country consolidated its status, qualifying for and competing in the FIFAe World Cup 24 ft. eFootball™ in both Console, where they once again reached the top 8 of the competition with Spaarta_996, hasnaoui and Neo_Guiza; and in the Mobile competition where an1o_tienes became the runner-up of the competition.

Morocco’s ability to qualify across multiple competitive formats, across different titles also highlighted both depth of talent and the effectiveness of its national selection and development systems. This momentum carried into the most recent FIFAe season, where Morocco achieved a historic triple qualification for the FIFAe Finals 25, securing places in the FIFAe World Cup™ ft. eFootball™ Console, FIFAe World Cup™ ft. eFootball™ Mobile, and the FIFAe World Cup™ ft. Rocket League: an incredible feat only accomplished by a select number of nations across all competitions.

Today, Morocco’s presence in FIFAe is structural. Regular qualification for global tournaments, strong finishes in finals, incredible participants across multiple FIFAe titles, and institutional support are the key elements that different the nation's commitment with the football esports scene.