Nicolas Forissier / Ph. Bruno Martin ‹ › The French Minister Delegate for Foreign Trade and Attractiveness, Nicolas Forissier, is expected to visit Morocco on April 2 and 3. The trip will be «largely focused on football», with a meeting between Philippe Diallo, head of the French Football Federation, and his Moroccan counterpart Fouzi Lekjaa expected to feature on the agenda, Africa Intelligence reported on Tuesday. The visit aims to strengthen bilateral ties through sport, a key tool of French diplomacy in Morocco. It will also provide an opportunity to discuss infrastructure and event management expertise ahead of upcoming global events, the same source added. The trip comes as Morocco prepares to host the 2030 World Cup, which it will co-organize with Spain and Portugal. France is seeking to position itself to secure contracts linked to the organization of the tournament. Ahead of the visit, Forissier met a few days ago in Paris with Morocco's ambassador to France, Samira Sitail. In addition to his ministerial role, he is also a member of parliament and president of the France–Morocco friendship group at the French National Assembly. France is not the only country showing interest in World Cup-related projects. The United Kingdom has also expressed its ambition to contribute to Morocco's preparations. In June 2025, London and Rabat signed a memorandum of understanding in Salé on British support for organizing the tournament. The agreement was signed by Fouzi Lekjaa, also president of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF), and David Lammy, then UK Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs. The United States has likewise signaled its willingness to share its expertise in organizing major sporting events. The issue was notably discussed during a meeting in February 2024 between former US ambassador to Rabat Puneet Talwar and Fouzi Lekjaa.
