Daily News 19

Tag: Morocco

  • PSG Suffers Major Injury Blow as Achraf Hakimi Forced Off Against Brest

    PSG Suffers Major Injury Blow as Achraf Hakimi Forced Off Against Brest

    PSG Suffer Injury Blow as Achraf Hakimi Forced Off Against Stade Brestois

    Paris Saint-Germain encountered an early setback in their match against Stade Brestois when Achraf Hakimi was forced to leave the pitch due to injury during the first half.

    Hakimi Goes Down Shortly After Half-Hour Mark

    The Moroccan right-back went down shortly after the half-hour mark and had to receive treatment off the pitch after appearing to be struggling with an injury. The extent of the problem remains unclear as PSG await further assessment on the defender’s condition.

    Impact on PSG’s Defensive Setup

    Hakimi’s departure represents a significant blow for the French champions, with the 25-year-old having established himself as a key component of their defensive structure and attacking output from the right flank. His pace, crossing ability, and defensive recovery runs have made him virtually irreplaceable in Luis Enrique’s system.

    The Spanish manager will now be forced to reshuffle his backline for the remainder of the contest, with potential options including shifting a central defender to the right or introducing a natural replacement from the bench.

    Injury Timing Raises Concerns

    The timing of the injury adds another layer of concern for PSG, coming at a critical juncture of the season where squad depth will be tested across multiple competitions. The club’s medical staff will conduct thorough evaluations to determine the severity and expected recovery timeline for the Morocco international.

  • FIFA Says 2030 World Cup Final Host Decision Will Be Made ‘in due course’

    FIFA Says 2030 World Cup Final Host Decision Will Be Made ‘in due course’

    FIFA Delays Decision on 2030 World Cup Final Host as Morocco and Spain Stake Claims

    FIFA said on Thursday that the decision over whether Morocco or Spain would host the 2030 World Cup final would be made in due course, pushing back against a declaration by the Morocco Football Federation president that the match would be played at the Grand Stade Hassan II in Casablanca—a venue still under construction.

    The governing body has yet to officially announce which country will host the final. The uncertainty arrives even though the 2026 edition just finished with Spain winning the title this summer, prompting Moroccan and Spanish officials to publicly stake their claim on the next showpiece.

    FIFA Maintains Official Timeline

    A FIFA spokesperson told Efe news agency that, as the organization announced on Aug. 5, the decision will be made in due course. On that date, FIFA had already denied promising Morocco the hosting rights for the World Cup final—a tournament it will co-host with Spain and Portugal—in exchange for support for FIFA president Gianni Infantino in next March’s elections.

    Morocco Asserts Final Is Locked In

    Moroccan federation president Fouzi Lakjaa told a political rally on Thursday that Morocco had secured the final.

    The city of Benslimane will host the World Cup final. Hate it or love it, and if anyone wants to talk on top of that, let them talk, he said. The city is Benslimane, the Hassan II stadium is the stadium, and I hope that Morocco will be playing it.

    Spain Counters with Champion Status

    This week, the head of the Spanish football federation, Rafael Louzán, insisted it was Spain that deserved the game, while acknowledging that the honor has not been guaranteed.

    We all signed to accept the candidacy … it’s too bad that, regarding the final, it wasn’t made clear, totally clear, where it is to be played, Louzán said. Spain, as world champion both in men’s and women’s football, must host the final.

    European officials believe that the sprawling, multi-nation 2030 event should be considered a European event with the final on the continent.

    Centenary Format Adds Complexity

    In addition to Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina, and Paraguay will host the opening matches for their respective national teams during the 2030 World Cup, as a tribute to the centenary of the 1930 World Cup, which was held entirely in Montevideo.

    Infantino Under Pressure Amid Governance Disputes

    The dispute over the final comes with Infantino under intense pressure after UEFA, the umbrella organization of European federations, led a successful revolt to scuttle his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup. By contrast, six Arab nation federations, including Morocco’s, have backed him since that fiasco.

    Stadium Capacities: Morocco Offers Larger Venue

    Barcelona’s Camp Nou will hold 105,000 people once renovated. The King Hassan II Stadium near Casablanca is being built in Benslimane, on the outskirts of Casablanca. It is planned to seat 115,000 spectators. Spain can offer the home stadiums of Real Madrid or Barcelona as potential sites for the final. Following its renovation, Barcelona’s Camp Nou will have a capacity of 105,000, while Madrid’s Santiago Bernabéu holds 78,297.

    Diplomatic Tensions Shadow the Bid

    Infantino has recently made two trips to Morocco, meeting with King Mohammed VI during annual celebrations of his ascent to the throne in July and then holding a FIFA crisis meeting there in August.

    When confirmed three years ago, the joint candidacy between Spain, Portugal and Morocco looked like a perfect event to bridge Europe and Africa and strengthen bonds between the western Mediterranean neighbors. But the dispute over the final comes with diplomatic tensions between Madrid and Rabat already frayed over who was responsible when tens of thousands of mostly Moroccans driven by posts on social media pushed into the small Spanish enclave of Ceuta that borders Morocco. Spain’s prime minister said 140 people died in the crossing.

    Spain’s government has been under political pressure at home to get tough on Morocco, which it has said acted in good faith in the border crisis. Spanish police assessments couldn’t rule out complicity by Moroccan security forces but said that it was unlikely the Moroccan government had intentionally orchestrated it.

    Information from Efe and The Associated Press was used in this report.