During Thursday's Finance Committee meeting in Parliament, focused on the 2026 Finance Bill (PLF 2026), Deputy Minister for the Budget, Fouzi Lekjaa, firmly rejected claims that sports projects would undermine healthcare funding in preparation for the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) and the 2030 World Cup. Lekjaa, who also serves as President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), emphasized that the government's commitment to these projects aligns with its dedication to enhancing healthcare services, calling it «an opportunity to accelerate reforms». The 2030 World Cup, to be hosted by Morocco alongside Portugal and Spain, represents «a strategic vision for the country and its openness to the world», leveraging «the array of sporting, cultural, intellectual, and political events that Morocco hosts annually», Lekjaa explained. According to the minister, this initiative forms «a comprehensive development plan», as evidenced by the bid book approved by the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA). Central to these commitments is the health reform, which is integral to this project that extends beyond sports. Addressing financial concerns, the minister clarified that stadium expenses «are not part of the public budget». This includes nearly 3 billion DH, with 1.6 billion DH allocated for the National Railways Office (ONCF) and less than a billion raised from institutional investors to cover stadium construction costs. This loan is projected to be repaid over approximately twenty years, with expected revenues surpassing the repayment amount. Beyond the immediate events, Lekjaa stressed that «these projects need to materialize to drive development across various regions». He noted that the momentum from the World Cup is expediting some projects. This accelerated pace should be reflected «in both healthcare reform and the essential connectivity between the north and south of the country», he added.
