Just outside Rabat, a quiet revolution is unfolding in Moroccan football—and its beating heart is the Mohammed VI Football Academy. Since opening its doors in March 2010, the Academy has rapidly established itself as the backbone of Morocco’s push to elevate its national game to global standards. But this isn’t just a training ground; it’s a purpose-built engine for elite performance and long-term development.
Spanning 35 hectares, the Academy was designed from the start as a complete high-performance ecosystem. Its facilities go far beyond the typical sports complex: it combines rigorous athletic training with cutting-edge technical support and comprehensive medical care. The site features eleven FIFA-certified pitches—natural grass, hybrid, and synthetic—alongside five residential buildings offering 510 beds. The infrastructure also includes physical preparation zones, recovery areas, dining halls, and relaxation spaces, all aimed at creating a balanced environment where players from every national Moroccan team, male or female, from youth categories to futsal and beach soccer, can train and thrive.
At the center of the campus lies a 7,500-square-meter medical and sports science unit that rivals top international standards. It’s fully equipped for everything from physical rehab and physiotherapy to radiology, ultrasound diagnostics, cryotherapy, nutritional counseling, and mental health support. The goal is clear: help athletes perform at their peak—and stay there. Every element of the facility is calibrated to accompany each player throughout their journey, whether they’re emerging prospects or seasoned professionals.
Sustainability is another core value baked into the Academy’s DNA. The site recycles rainwater, treats wastewater, and harnesses solar and photovoltaic energy to power its operations, making it one of the few elite sports centers in the world designed with such a strong environmental conscience.
In the years since its founding, the Mohammed VI Academy has become more than just a national asset—it’s now a symbol of Morocco’s strategic commitment to football excellence. In 2024, it became the official home of FIFA’s Africa office. A year earlier, it hosted global giants Real Madrid during the Club World Cup. FIFA President Gianni Infantino has publicly praised the facility, ranking it among the top three football academies in the world.
But its impact reaches far beyond the capital. The Academy has helped spark a nationwide transformation. Morocco has built 145 new pitches across the country and launched 13 regional academies, all feeding into the same mission. Today, the Academy trains 155 young players in a dual-track program that combines sports and education. Graduates like Nayef Aguerd, Azzedine Ounahi, and Youssef En-Nesyri—now full internationals—are the clearest proof that the system works.
The results speak volumes. Morocco stunned the world by reaching the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup. Since then, they’ve added an African U-23 title, an Olympic bronze medal in 2024, and a U-17 continental championship in 2025. Women’s football is gaining serious momentum, and futsal has seen victories in both the men’s and women’s categories. The message is clear: Morocco isn’t just participating on the global stage—it’s competing to win.
