HIBAPRESS – W.A.M.
Youssef El Omrani, the Moroccan Ambassador to the United States, held discussions in Washington with Andrew Giuliani, the Executive Director of the White House Task Force for the 2026 World Cup. This meeting reflects the strong interest in cooperation and the historical friendship between the Kingdom and the United States.
Giuliani, commissioned by President Donald Trump, is leading an event expected to be the largest global sporting event, which will be held from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, in addition to Mexico and Canada. As the general supervisor of this major event, Giuliani represents the link and focal point within a complex and structured system that has been placed under the leadership of the President and Vice President of the United States, to ensure the reception of millions of fans from all over the world in the best conditions, including the fans of the “Atlas Lions”. Strategic exchange with Morocco, according to the American official himself, is a priority and a commitment that contributes to the synergy of efforts. Morocco, the first country to recognize the independence of the United States, is also distinguished as a future host country, along with Spain and Portugal, for the 2030 World Cup, thus taking over the torch from the 2026 edition. The Executive Director of the White House Task Force also praised "the amazing infrastructure that has been completed in the Kingdom to promote football at the global level," revealing that the president of the "International Federation of Football" expressed his "admiration" for the success of the Moroccan model supported by an enlightened royal vision, which puts sport at the service of development. The meeting also gave Giuliani the opportunity to affirm his full readiness, as well as the readiness of the American authorities, to work closely with Morocco to make the sports events of 2026 and 2030 "major successes," invited to further enhance the model of the exceptional bilateral alliance. These discussions, which were also marked by the presence of Simon Bland, the Director of International Affairs at the US Department of Homeland Security, reflect a broader commitment from Washington to coordination, cooperation, and building successful operational approaches with Morocco, so that each of their experiences can benefit everyone. This will has continued to gain momentum, especially since the 2026 World Cup will witness a remarkable public turnout, with the sale of 5 million tickets, and the number of ticket requests exceeding 500 million requests, since the launch of the first phase of sale by "FIFA" in January 2026. For his part, El Omrani confirmed that this global sporting event represents "an open window on the vitality, depth, and determination of an alliance, as well as a strong friendship between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America." He pointed out in this regard that "Morocco's overwhelming joy at hosting the 2030 World Cup is increasing in strength because the Kingdom will take over the torch from the 2026 edition organized by our American partners, at a time when we are celebrating this year the 250th anniversary of our bilateral relations." He said that "Morocco, the first country to recognize the independence of the United States, continues to build a very beautiful story, in the field of football as well as in diplomacy, where the paths of two allies connected by time and heart intersect." On the other hand, the ambassador praised the close contacts with the American authorities, especially in the field of security, reminding that the Kingdom was chosen by name, and at the highest level in the American state, as a partner invited to participate in the White House task force dedicated to the FIFA World Cup. He considered that this represents "a sign that reflects more than just simple cooperation, but rather a firm trust that continues to grow between our two countries." After praising this strategic cooperation in preparation for the upcoming major global sports events, especially the 2026 World Cup, the Moroccan diplomat noted that this recognition embodies the trust given to Morocco, whose experience, professionalism, and proven ability to manage international events are still praised globally.
