HIBAPRESS – Rabat
Fouzi Louggani, Minister Delegate for the Budget, member of the Political Bureau of the Authenticity and Modernity Party (PAM), and President of the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, unveiled his vision for the 2030 World Cup, his stance on the possibility of heading the government, and the future of his responsibilities within football institutions. He also presented the pillars of Morocco's position in the dispute with Senegal before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) and discussed the nature of his support for the President of the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), Gianni Infantino.
In an interview with "Jeune Afrique" magazine, Louggani considered that the 2030 World Cup would be a culmination of a developmental path that began in Morocco over twenty years ago under the leadership of King Mohammed VI, in addition to its role in accelerating the deadlines for implementing several major investments related to transport and infrastructure.
He explained that the high-speed train, highway, and airport projects would see reduced completion times to align with the World Cup schedule, emphasizing that these projects were already planned, while the event would allow for the acceleration of some of them.
Louggani believes that the 2030 World Cup will be a driver of growth, job creation, and youth integration, noting that hundreds of thousands of Moroccan and African youth can benefit from training, skill development, and the growth of their businesses.
He presented a vision based on the transition of startups to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and then the transition of medium-sized enterprises to a larger scale, considering that the upcoming edition also carries an African dimension that extends beyond Moroccan borders.
The President of the Royal Football Federation also linked the World Cup to cultural convergence between the shores of the Mediterranean and Africa, referring to shared history, coexistence of cultures, religions, and languages, and considering that joint organization provides an opportunity to highlight the Mediterranean as a space for exchange and shared success, alongside its associated migration challenges.
Regarding the identity of the country that will host the 2030 World Cup final, Louggani said that the talk of competition, in his view, comes from the Spanish side, explaining that Morocco adheres to FIFA's procedures and rules.
He pointed out that a FIFA working group visited the proposed cities and facilities in Morocco, Spain, and Portugal, and that decisions will be made within the specified timelines.
Louggani, on the other hand, affirmed Morocco's insistence on its right to defend hosting the final, presenting the Kingdom as representing Africa within the joint organization, and emphasizing that Morocco, Spain, and Portugal are acting within a logic of integration between civilizations and cultures. He added that the Kingdom will defend its rights and the rights of the African continent, which he believes deserves to host the World Cup final for the second time in a century.
On the political level, the member of the PAM Political Bureau also discussed the nature of his personality and his ability to adapt to party work, rejecting the description of him as a harsh person, and considering that politics requires seriousness and working long hours that may exceed twelve or fourteen hours a day.
He recalled his experience of over ten years in football, which he said combines passion, governance, and management, in addition to his interaction with Parliament for over twenty years and his knowledge of different political generations.
Given the link between his popularity and his results as head of the Royal Football Federation more than his work as Minister Delegate for the Budget, Louggani affirmed that he adopts the same approach in both fields, based on defining the task, goals, work, and procedures. He pointed out that he performed both responsibilities in parallel, to the extent of attending matches in the United States and then participating in parliamentary work the next day, according to principles he described as commitment, dedication, intellectual integrity, and respect for commitments.
As for the possibility of him taking over as Prime Minister if the Authenticity and Modernity Party tops the September 23 elections, Louggani confirmed that he has never considered this possibility, defining his current mission as mobilizing the party until the election date. He said that post-election powers revert to His Majesty the King, while subsequent stages will come within their specific constitutional and political context.
The government official highlighted that his daily program until September 23 involves reviewing constituencies where the PAM needs to double its efforts, making contacts, and going to the field, emphasizing his readiness to serve the King and the country regardless of the responsibility he holds, stressing that power in itself has not been a personal goal for him.
He cited his position within the current government as an example, explaining that his official rank within it did not prevent him from performing his duties, referring to what he described as doubling state revenues, implementing tax reforms, strengthening the Kingdom's financial position, and leaving behind sound and sustainable public finances.
Regarding the combination of political responsibility and his positions within football institutions, Louggani explained that what is prohibited according to sports rules is the interference of politics in football decisions, such as scheduling matches, appointing referees, or influencing results, while a football official engaging in political work does not, according to his view, constitute a violation in itself.
He cited in this context the President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, pointing to his political presence in his country, considering that the football system needs political support, especially since organizing the World Cup requires an intersection between political decision-making and sports management. He affirmed that the convergence between the two aspects enhances effectiveness, while emphasizing the need to separate this convergence from direct interference in sports decisions.
He added that he carried out his responsibilities within the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, CAF, and FIFA in parallel with his government position, affirming his continuation as long as the context requires it, with the understanding that a time will come to hand over responsibility to his successor upon the renewal of the governing bodies, with the radiance of Moroccan sports being among the priorities.
Given the hypothesis of him becoming Prime Minister and the possibility of retaining those positions, Louggani considered that it is based on several premature assumptions, recalling that he currently holds the position of Minister Delegate for the Budget and that his current political goal is to help the Authenticity and Modernity Party achieve first place in the September 23 elections, with subsequent directions to be handled in due course.
Soccerr-wise, Louggani dedicated a significant portion to the dispute concerning the final of the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations against Senegal, with the CAS meeting approaching on October 8 to consider the appeal filed by the Senegalese Federation. He affirmed Morocco's adherence to what he described as a culture of respecting the law, considering that the rules of football and the legal regulations governing matches were violated by the Senegalese side.
Louggani pointed out that FIFA amended its regulations following the incident to increase the penalty for a player who leaves the field, considering this a factor that supports Morocco's position. He also stressed that the match must start and end according to the principles of fair play, rejecting the idea of the competition stopping for fifteen, twenty, or thirty minutes due to one party leaving the field.
Fouzi defended the Royal Moroccan Football Federation's stance on continuing the legal process to its final stages, explaining that a prolonged stoppage could affect the concentration of players and staff and the flow of the match, and that the Moroccan defense goes beyond the result of a single encounter to protect the rules of the competition itself.
He emphasized that the process before CAF granted Morocco, in his words, the right to the title, adding that the October 8 meeting before the CAS would be the first session in a process that might require other meetings, and therefore a final decision would not be issued on that date. He expressed his confidence that the final verdict will remain consistent with the legal interpretation that Morocco advocates.
Louggani also discussed in his interview with "Jeune Afrique" magazine his relationship with Gianni Infantino, in the context of the entitlement related to the presidency of FIFA. In response to the magazine's question about his support for the Federation's president and the discussions surrounding his project for managing the institution, Louggani affirmed that this support does not represent an absolute endorsement of an individual, but rather falls within a vision that considers football as a tool for uniting peoples and nations.
He considered that his dealings with Infantino and with officials of the European Football Union are based on pushing towards developing FIFA's governance and strengthening its internal balance mechanisms, believing that any management system that lacks counter-powers is prone to errors, even if decisions are made in good faith.
Louggani pointed out that Infantino's project essentially requires discussion and consultation with various federations, explaining that what concerns him primarily is the stability of the institution and its ability to develop and respond to the global transformations in football, whether at the level of the audience, management methods, or revenue size.
He emphatically stressed that individuals change within FIFA's leadership, while the institution is obliged to maintain its balance and update its working methods, thus placing his support for Infantino within a vision related to the future of the institution and its governance rather than being linked to a specific president's name.
