Speaking at a conference organized by the American think tank Atlantic Council under the theme Beyond the Tournament: The New Frontiers of Sports Diplomacy, on the eve of the draw for the 2026 World Cup, Youssef Amrani explained that major sporting events such as the 2030 World Cup naturally find their place in a Morocco open to the world, rooted in its history and confident in its ability to transform all of its potential into levers for inclusive development.

Morocco is not only ready to host the 2025 AFCON and the 2030 World Cup in the best conditions, but it also has the necessary tools to make these events a true accelerator of diplomacy, a vector of cooperation and a catalyst for progress, which will benefit Morocco, Africa and the world across the board, assured the Moroccan diplomat during this meeting, marked by the participation of several experts in sports diplomacy, including the FIFA vice-president and president of CONCACAF, Victor Montagliani.

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— Atlantic Council (@AtlanticCouncil) December 4, 2025

And to emphasize in this regard that the organization of the 2030 World Cup by Morocco, alongside Spain and Portugal, is the crowning achievement of an ambitious strategy undertaken for more than two decades thanks to the vision of His Majesty King Mohammed VI.

This first World Cup in history to be organised between two continents is thus in line with Morocco’s natural vocations to be a link, a land of welcome and a respected partner, elements which reinforce the never compromised approach of a Kingdom which enjoys a solid and structured international credibility, the ambassador affirmed.

He also noted that the 2030 World Cup will generate direct economic benefits through job creation and the promotion of tourism, which is already recording record figures with 18 million visitors in November 2025, in addition to accelerating GDP growth.

Referring to the exploits of the Atlas Lions and the Young Lions (U-20) in recent years, Youssef Amrani noted that Morocco has broken the glass ceiling of African football by becoming, at the last World Cup, the first team from the continent to reach the semi-finals, believing that this is just the beginning.

In this regard, Youssef Amrani highlighted the indispensable role of the Mohammed VI Football Academy in training young talent, which paved the way for the achievements of Moroccan football. These successes, he said, are the result of long-term effort."The best is yet to come, given the rapid progress of all the national teams and the Moroccan football ecosystem," he added.

Highlighting the role of football as a true soft power, the ambassador stressed that hosting the 2030 World Cup will allow the Kingdom to forge partnerships in various fields, with a considerable impact on socio-economic growth.