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83-607: On 29 January 2011, the CAF Board decided that Morocco would host the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations , while the 2017 edition would be held in South Africa. In October 2014, the government of Morocco requested a postponement of the tournament due to the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa . After the matter was discussed at the executive committee meeting on 2 November 2014, CAF decided to keep

166-631: A major non-NATO ally in 2004. The two countries later signed a free-trade agreement in 2006, the only one of its kind between the United States and an African country, which was met with some criticism within Morocco due to increasing trade deficit . Mohammed increasingly prioritized African relations in Morocco's foreign policy. In July 2016, Mohammed addressed the 27th African Union (AU) summit being held in Kigali , in which he requested Moroccan admission to

249-613: A plan for Western Sahara's autonomy , provided it remains under Moroccan sovereignty. In 2021, the CORCAS condemned the Sahrawi refugee camps in Tindouf , citing human rights concerns. The Polisario Front , the main opposite party to the conflict, advocates for the establishment of an independent Sahrawi state. Morocco and the Polisario Front reached a ceasefire agreement in 1991, which included

332-536: A 2012 biography authored by two French journalists, there is an account of Hassan instructing his aides to administer twenty lashes to Mohammed when he appeared to lag behind in his studies. According to a childhood friend, Mohammed harbored fantasies about the world beyond the palace walls and seldom ventured outside. One of his favorite songs was " Breakfast in America " by the English rock band Supertramp , which celebrates

415-457: A North African Arab country has hosted the Women's Africa Cup of Nations. After a successful event, Morocco was given the right to host the 2024 Women's Africa Cup of Nations . In 1994, Morocco , United States and Brazil bade to host the 1994 FIFA World Cup . The United States eventually won the bid with 10 votes, Morocco in second place with 7 votes and Brazil with 2. Morocco was set to bid on

498-515: A bye to the group stage, while the next 26 teams began play in the second preliminary round, and four lowest ranked teams started at the first round. The three preliminary rounds were a series of playoffs, with the winners advancing. 51 nations entered the tournament (excluding initial hosts Morocco). It was the competitive debut of South Sudan . Djibouti and Somalia declined to enter. Morocco would have automatically qualified as hosts; however, after their refusal to host, they were expelled from

581-487: A complaint from Boubacar Diarra, president of the Malian FA. Issa Haytou, president of CAF, defended the process as the only option. The CAF Disciplinary Committee's South African President Raymond Hack stated that CAF's Member Associations had chosen the option of picking lots ahead of penalties six months prior. He also said that the "Fair Play [disciplinary] table was to be used but the countries object to that and they said

664-642: A diverse portfolio consisting of many important businesses in Morocco, operating in various sectors including: Attijariwafa Bank ( banking ), Managem ( mining ), Onapar, SOMED (tourism/ real-estate and exclusive distributor of Maserati ), Wafa Assurance ( insurance ), Marjane ( hypermarket chain), Wana-Inwi ( telecommunications ), SONASID ( siderurgy ), Lafarge Maroc , Sopriam (exclusive distributor of Peugeot - Citroën in Morocco), Renault Maroc (exclusive distributor of Renault in Morocco) and Nareva (energy). It also owns many food-processing companies and

747-463: A drug trafficking suspect, who was released before standing trial. The detainee, Antonio Garcia, a recidivist drug trafficker, had been arrested in possession of 9 tons of hashish in Tangier and was sentenced to 10 years. He had resisted arrest using a firearm. Some media claimed that his release embarrassed Spain. Royal involvement in business is a major topic in Morocco, but public discussion of it

830-722: A few minutes. CAF imposed a US$ 100k fine on the Equatoguinean Football Federation and were informed an 'official match' in Equatorial Guinea must be held 'behind closed doors' after the tournament's completion. DR Congo defender Gabriel Zakuani stated that he would rather his team forfeit the third-place playoff instead of play in front of Equatorial Guinea's fans, an opinion which was not shared by his manager Florent Ibengé . Mohammed VI of Morocco Mohammed VI ( Arabic : محمد السادس , romanized :  Muḥammad as-sādis ; born 21 August 1963)

913-808: A mediator in the Libyan crisis and remained neutral in the Qatar diplomatic crisis . Relations with neighbouring Algeria remained strained throughout his reign. Tensions intensified in the 2020s, primarily as a result of the Israel–Morocco normalization agreement and Guerguerat border clashes. In August 2021, Algeria accused Morocco of supporting the Movement for the self-determination of Kabylie , which it blamed for wildfires in northern Algeria, and later severed diplomatic relations with Morocco. Morocco and Israel restored diplomatic relations on 10 December 2020, as part of

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996-411: A new constitution . These reforms were passed by public referendum on 1 July 2011. Mohammed was born on 21 August 1963 and was the second child and first son of Hassan II and his wife, Lalla Latifa . As their eldest son, he was heir apparent from birth. Mohammed's father was keen on giving him a religious and political education from an early age; at the age of four, he started attending

1079-425: A restart of Israeli–Palestinian peace negotiations . He called on both sides "to refrain from actions that obstruct the peace process". In February 2023, Mohammed and his foreign minister Nasser Bourita visited Gabon , meeting with its president Ali Bongo and conducting a donation of 2,000 tonnes of fertilizer to the country. On 4 December 2023, Mohammed and his entourage made an official visit to Dubai , at

1162-402: A revenue of $ 157 million (1.5 billion dirhams), with 170,000 tons of citrus exported in that year. According to the same magazine, the company officially owns 12,000 hectares of agricultural lands. Chergui , a manufacturer of dairy products , is the most recognizable brand of the group. Between 1994 and 2004, the group has been managed by Mohammed VI's brother-in-law Khalid Benharbit,

1245-570: A single round robin. After the group stage, the top two teams from each group advanced to the quarterfinals. The quarterfinal winners advanced to the semifinals. The semifinal losers played in the third place match, while the semifinal winners played in the final. The finals draw was held on 3 December 2014 in Malabo . It was initially to be held on 26 November 2014 in Rabat before the change of host country. The 16 teams were divided into four pots based on

1328-433: A televised address, promising to take on poverty and corruption , while creating jobs and improving Morocco's human rights record. His reformist rhetoric was opposed by Islamist conservatives, and some of his reforms angered fundamentalists . His initial directives also included the dismissal of his father's hardline interior minister, Driss Basri , and the appointment of some of his former classmates to key positions in

1411-684: A total of 28 as of 2023. As of July 2023, the Trump administration in the United States and the third Netanyahu government in Israel had officially recognized Moroccan sovereignty over the territory. Mohammed and his sister, Princess Lalla Meryem , made a state visit to the White House in Washington, D.C. in June 2000, as guests of United States President Bill Clinton . The Bush administration designated Morocco as

1494-517: Is King of Morocco . A member of the 'Alawi dynasty , he acceded to the throne on 23 July 1999, upon the death of his father, King Hassan II . Mohammed has vast business holdings across several economic sectors in Morocco . His net worth has been estimated at between US$ 2.1 billion and over US$ 5.2 billion . In 2015, Forbes named him the richest king in Africa and the fifth wealthiest monarch in

1577-490: Is currently in the process of disengaging from this sector. Between mid-2012 and 2013, the holding sold Lessieur , Centrale Laitière , Bimo and Cosumar to foreign groups for a total amount of ~$ 1.37 billion (11.4 billion Dirhams including 9.7 billion in 2013 and 1.7 in 2012). SNI and ONA both owned stakes in Brasseries du Maroc , the largest alcoholic beverage manufacturer and distributor of brands such as Heineken in

1660-603: Is sensitive. The US embassy in Rabat reported to Washington in a leaked cable that "corruption is prevalent at all levels of Moroccan society". Corruption allegedly reaches the highest levels in Morocco, where the business interests of Mohammed VI and some of his advisors influence "every large housing project," according to WikiLeaks documents published in December 2010 and quoted in The Guardian newspaper. The documents released by

1743-467: Is that Western Sahara is an integral part of its territory , a stance adopted following the 1975 Green March . Mohammed visited Western Sahara in 2006 and 2015. In March 2006, the government created the Royal Advisory Council for Saharan Affairs (CORCAS), an advisory committee which defends Morocco's claim over Western Sahara, and whose members are appointed by the king. The CORCAS proposed

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1826-426: The 2014 FIFA World Cup qualifiers . [REDACTED]   Equatorial Guinea (host; assigned to A1) [REDACTED]   Ghana (48 pts) [REDACTED]   Ivory Coast (44 pts) [REDACTED]   Zambia (41 pts) The following referees were chosen for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. Each team could register a squad of 23 players. The group winners and runners-up advance to

1909-471: The Dar al-Makhzen in Rabat on 12 and 13 July 2002. Bennani became princess consort with the style of Her Royal Highness on her marriage. They had two children: Crown Prince Moulay Hassan (born 8 May 2003) and Princess Lalla Khadija (born 28 February 2007). The couple's divorce was announced on 21 March 2018. Mohammed's birthday on 21 August is a public holiday , although festivities were cancelled upon

1992-627: The Israel–Morocco normalization agreement involving the United States, which at the same time recognized Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara . In June 2021, Mohammed congratulated Naftali Bennett on his election as Israeli prime minister. On the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People in November 2021, the king announced that Morocco would continue to push for

2075-509: The Marrakesh–Safi region which killed nearly three thousand people, Mohammed visited hospitals to support victims and donated blood for the needy. Under his instructions, the royal holding Al Mada donated one billion dirhams for relief operations of quake-hit regions. The Western Sahara conflict is considered one of the longest-running on the African continent. Morocco's official stance

2158-497: The New York Times , prior to ascending to the throne, Mohammed "gained a reputation as a playboy during the years he spent waiting in the wings, showing a fondness for fast cars and nightclubs." Over time, a noticeable estrangement developed between him and his father. He actively avoided encounters with Hassan II, even during his visits to Morocco. Instead, he frequently frequented Amnesia, an illicit club located underground in

2241-748: The burqa . On 20 December 2022, Mohammed invited the Moroccan national football team to a reception at the Royal Palace in Rabat, following their reaching fourth place at the 2022 FIFA World Cup , and awarded the members of the team with the Order of the Throne . In March 2023, he was invited by president of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Patrice Motsepe to receive the CAF's outstanding achievement award. During

2324-584: The global economic crisis . The demonstrations were influenced by then-recent revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt which overthrew their respective leaders, and demands by protesters included "urgent" political and social reforms, including the relinquishment of some of the King's powers. In a speech delivered on 9 March 2011, Mohammed said that parliament would receive "new powers that enable it to discharge its representative, legislative, and regulatory mission". In addition,

2407-441: The 2015 and 2017 Africa Cup of Nations tournaments. Morocco was the next country to be inspected, with CAF visiting the country in early November 2010. South Africa was inspected in December 2010. On 29 January, during the 2011 CAF Super Cup , the CAF Board decided that Morocco would host the 2015 African Cup of Nations, while the 2017 edition would be held in South Africa. The four Morocco host cities which were scheduled to host

2490-534: The CAF Ranking, with the hosts Equatorial Guinea placed in Pot 1 automatically. The ranking was computed using the teams' results in the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers (weighted by 2), 2013 Africa Cup of Nations finals (weighted by 3) and qualifiers (weighted by 1), the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations finals (weighted by 2) and qualifiers (weighted by 0.5), the 2010 Africa Cup of Nations finals (weighted by 1), and

2573-554: The Mauritian referee who gave a penalty to Equatorial Guinea in that match, was banned from officiating for six months and removed from CAF's elite register of referees. The Tunisian FA was fined $ 50,000 for confronting the referee during the match, in addition to damage to changing room facilities, while Equatorial Guinea was fined $ 5,000 for inadequate security at the stadium. During the semi-final fixture between host nation of Equatorial Guinea and Ghana several incidents occurred between

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2656-403: The Morocco 2026 bid committee stated their plan to spend $ 16 billion on preparing for the tournament, including building new transportation infrastructure, 21 new hospitals, a large number of new hotels and leisure facilities and building and/or renovating new stadiums. The national football association of Morocco is scheduled to bid to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup . On 15 June 2018, The bid

2739-614: The Morocco-Spain-Portugal bid as a candidate to host the 2030 FIFA World Cup. King Mohammed VI appointed Lekjaa as the Chairman of 2030 World Cup Committee. FIFA rejected an election in 2013, and demanded a new election in 2014. A term generally lasts four years. 2015 Africa Cup of Nations The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations , known as the Orange Africa Cup of Nations, Equatorial Guinea 2015 for sponsorship reasons,

2822-519: The Polisario Front said had violated the 1991 ceasefire agreement. In 2021, Mohammed said that the "Moroccanness of the Sahara" remained an "indisputable fact", and asserted that Morocco was not negotiating over the territory, as the issue "never was - and never will be - on the negotiating table". The following year, he confirmed that the Western Sahara issue was "the lens through which Morocco looks at

2905-631: The President of the European Commission . According to a biography by Ferran Sales Aige, Mohammed's father received reports from his spies indicating that the young prince was visiting bars regularly. This led to a deepening dissatisfaction from the king towards his son. In a moment of despair, Hassan II was rumored to have described his son's behavior as a "chromosome error." Mohammed was sent to study law in Nice , with his activities closely monitored by

2988-758: The Quranic school at the Royal Palace. His educational routine commenced at 6 am with an hour-long recitation of the Quran, followed by formal lessons. He completed his first primary and secondary studies at the Collège Royal , a specialized college constructed within the fortified walls of the palace. Hassan II, desiring his son to experience competitive pressure, selected 12 classmates recognized for their intellect to accompany Mohammed in his studies. As depicted in Le Roi prédateur ,

3071-684: The allure of travel by jumbo jet. Mohammed excelled in languages. Mohammed attained his Baccalaureate in 1981, before gaining a bachelor's degree in law at the Mohammed V University at Agdal in 1985. His research paper dealt with "the Arab-African Union and the Strategy of the Kingdom of Morocco in matters of International Relations". He was furthermore appointed president of the Pan Arab Games , and

3154-599: The awards ceremony in Kigali , Chakib Benmoussa , attending on behalf of the king, announced in a letter written by Mohammed that Morocco would join the Portugal–Spain 2030 FIFA World Cup bid as a co-host. The bid was unanimously approved by the FIFA Council in October. In May 2023, Mohammed authorized the creation of a national public holiday for Yennayer (Berber New Year). In September 2023, following an earthquake in

3237-548: The bid making it the first African country to host the World Cup. On 6 June 2015, The Daily Telegraph reported that Morocco had actually won the vote, but South Africa was awarded the tournament instead. On 11 August 2017, was set for submission of an intention to bid, and on that day, the Royal Moroccan Football Federation announced that it would submit a bid for the 2026 FIFA World Cup . In March 2018,

3320-417: The capital city. According to Le Roi prédateur , Mohammed's close friend from school, Fouad Ali El Himma , facilitated his visits to Amnesia by installing a private lift from his apartment above that descended directly to the club's premises. Princess Lalla Lamia Mohammed ascended the throne on the death of his father on 23 July 1999. His official enthronement ceremony took place a week later. He made

3403-452: The capital of Morocco, on 2 August 2013, after Mohammed pardoned 48 jailed Spaniards, including Daniel Galván, a pedophile who had been serving a 30-year sentence for raping 11 children aged between 4 and 15. Upon the protests, the King revoked Galván's pardon and Morocco issued an international arrest warrant; Galván was arrested in Spain, where he continued his sentence. Those pardoned included

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3486-507: The controversy about the host situation for the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations. The official mascot of the tournament was "Chuku Chuku", a porcupine . The opening ceremony of the 2015 Africa Cup of Nations took place on 17 January, at the Estadio de Bata , before the opening match of the tournament between hosts Equatorial Guinea and Congo. Guinea and Mali finished with equal records in Group D, thus

3569-512: The country. In March 2018, the SNI adopted its current name, Al Mada. Mohammed is also a leading agricultural producer and land owner in Morocco, where agriculture is exempted from taxes. His personal holding company SIGER has shares in the large agricultural group Les domaines agricoles (originally called Les domaines royaux , now commonly known as Les domaines ), which was founded by Hassan II. In 2008, Telquel estimated that Les domaines had

3652-474: The country. However, a member of the Angolan Football Federation stated that it could not be possible as the new government budget did not include any tournaments. On 14 November 2014, CAF announced that Equatorial Guinea would host the tournament. Qualification for the tournament were made up of four stages, three preliminary rounds and a final group stage. The 21 best-ranked teams were given

3735-582: The date of the tournament, while also asking for a clarification from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation of whether they still wish to host the tournament. On 8 November, Morocco failed to meet this deadline to confirm it would host the tournament. Three days later CAF confirmed that Morocco would not host the tournament and a new host would be chosen from a list of countries which have expressed interest. Morocco, who had previously qualified as hosts, were disqualified from participation at

3818-502: The date of the tournament, while also asking for a clarification from the Royal Moroccan Football Federation of whether they still wish to host the tournament. On 8 November, Morocco failed to meet this deadline to confirm it would host the tournament. Three days later CAF confirmed that Morocco would not host the tournament and a new host would be chosen from a list of countries which have expressed interest. Morocco, who had previously qualified as hosts, were disqualified from participation at

3901-520: The deadline, to host either the 2015 or 2017 Africa Cup of Nations from DR Congo, Morocco and South Africa. All three bids were originally put on a shortlist. CAF then began an inspection procedure, on November and December 2010, intending to visit each bidding country to view stadiums, infrastructure, and football interest. They inspected the DR Congo first. Shortly after the inspection, DR Congo informed CAF that they would be withdrawing their bids for both

3984-691: The death of his aunt in 2014. In 2020, Mohammed purchased an €80 million mansion in Paris from the Saudi royal family . Mohammed's health has been a reoccurring topic both within and outside Morocco. In 2017, he underwent a successful surgery at the Quinze-Vingts National Ophthalmology Hospital in Paris to remove a pterygium in his left eye. In February 2018, he underwent a radiofrequency ablation to normalize an irregular heart rate, and

4067-412: The drawing of lots was required to choose who would advance into the quarter-finals. Prior to the draw, Mali coach Henri Kasperczak said that the tournament "must find a more sporting way [to decide who advances], fairer...This does not correspond to a sporting spirit". His Guinean counterpart Michel Dussuyer said that neither team deserved to be eliminated in that manner. Guinea won the draw, causing

4150-471: The establishment of a United Nations peacekeeping mission ( MINURSO ) to oversee and conduct a potential referendum on the future status of Western Sahara; to this day, such a referendum has never occurred. In 2020, an escalation of the conflict began when Sahrawi protesters blocked a road connecting Guerguerat to sub-Saharan Africa via Mauritania. Morocco responded by intervening militarily to resume movement of people and goods through Guerguerat, which

4233-430: The final rankings: In the final tournament, a player was suspended for the subsequent match in the competition for either getting red card or accumulating two yellow cards in two different matches. The disciplinary panel has the ability to increase the automatic one match ban for a red card (e.g. for violent conduct). Single yellow card cautions were erased at the conclusion of the group stage, and were not carried over to

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4316-432: The goal of the pitch, out of the range of those throwing objects. A helicopter was dispatched and used to disperse spectators out of the stadium by hovering at a low height above them. The Ghanaian FA described the incident as being similar to a "war zone". Equatorial Guinea's Police force had fired smoke bombs into the stands in an attempt to bring order. The game was stopped for about 30 minutes, before recommencing for

4399-507: The home fans, visiting fans and police. At the half-time break with Ghana leading the game 2–0, the Ghanaian players were protected from hostile Equatoguinean fans by police using plastic shields. During the 82nd minute in the second half, fans rushed onto the pitch and missiles were thrown at the Ghanaian substitute players. The players moved onto the pitch to escape the missiles. The travelling Ghanaian fans were also targets and took shelter near

4482-537: The husband of Princess Lalla Hasna . Les domaines also owns the Royal Golf de Marrakech, which originally belonged to Thami El Glaoui . His palace's daily operating budget is reported by Forbes to be $ 960,000, which is paid by the Moroccan state as part of a 2.576 billion dirhams/year budget as of 2014, with much of it accounted for by the expense of personnel, clothes, and car repairs. Protests broke out in Rabat,

4565-608: The interior minister dispatched by his father. He obtained his PhD in law with distinction on 29 October 1993 from the French University of Nice Sophia Antipolis for his thesis on " EEC - Maghreb Relations". On 12 July 1994, he was promoted to the military rank of Major General , and that same year he became president of the High Council of Culture and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Moroccan Army. According to

4648-497: The invitation of UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan , in which the two leaders signed a declaration committing to the development of "deep-rooted" bilateral relations. Mohammed is Morocco's leading businessman and banker. In 2015, he was estimated by Forbes magazine to be worth US$ 5.7bn although in 2019 Business Insider quoted a figure of just US$ 2.1 billion. The Moroccan Royal Family, meanwhile, has one of

4731-485: The knockout stage. The following players were or are suspended during the final tournament – for one or more games – as a result of red cards or yellow card accumulations: The 2015 Africa Cup of Nations has one title sponsor and seven official sponsors as shown below. The new Adidas Africa Cup Ball is called Adidas Marhaba (meaning Welcome , in Arabic). The Africa Cup 2015 Ball was unveiled 26 November 2014 following

4814-630: The largest fortunes in the world. Together, they hold the majority stakes in the Al Mada holding, formerly named the Société Nationale d'Investissement (SNI), which was originally state-owned but was merged in 2013 with Omnium Nord Africain ( ONA Group ), to form a single holding company that was taken off the Casablanca Stock Exchange —resulting in the scrapping of an equivalent of 50 billion dirhams marketcap (~US$ 6 billion). Al Mada has

4897-475: The monarch's close friend, adviser and former classmate Fouad Ali El Himma . This corruption especially affects the housing sector, the WikiLeaks documents show. In April 2016, Mohammed's personal secretary, Mounir Majidi , was named in the Panama Papers . Mohammed has three sisters: Princess Lalla Meryem , Princess Lalla Asma , and Princess Lalla Hasna and one brother, Prince Moulay Rachid . The New York Times noted "conflicting reports about whether

4980-413: The new monarch had been married on Friday night, within hours of his father's death [in 1999]... to heed a Moroccan tradition that a King be married before he ascends the throne." A palace official subsequently denied that a marriage had taken place. His engagement to Salma Bennani was announced on 12 October 2001. They married in private in Rabat on 21 March 2002, and their wedding was celebrated at

5063-461: The next two AFCON tournaments, fined 1 million US dollars, as well as demanding 9 million US dollars in compensation. However, the ban was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport , meaning Morocco could (and later did) enter the tournaments. Egypt, Ghana, South Africa and Sudan all declined to take over as hosts. Angola , the hosts of the 2010 edition , were spoken of as a potential replacement due to existing stadia and infrastructure in

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5146-425: The organization. Morocco had previously been a member of the AU's predecessor, the Organisation of African Unity , until it withdrew in 1984 in protest at the admission of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic . Mohammed justified his country's withdrawal saying that "the admission of a non-sovereign entity, by means of transgression and collusion" had prompted Morocco to "seek to avoid the division of Africa". Morocco

5229-403: The powers of the judiciary were granted greater independence from the king, who announced that he was impaneling a committee of legal scholars to produce a draft constitution by June 2011. On 1 July, voters approved a set of political reforms proposed by the king in a referendum . The reforms consisted of the following: In January 2017, Morocco banned the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of

5312-427: The quarter-finals. The teams are ranked according to points (3 points for a win, 1 point for a draw, 0 points for a loss). If tied on points, tiebreakers are applied in the following order: In the knockout stages, if a match is level at the end of normal playing time, extra time shall be played (two periods of 15 minutes each) and followed, if necessary, by kicks from the penalty mark to determine

5395-450: The state bureaucracy. In February 2004, he enacted a new family code ( Mudawana ), which granted women more power. In July 2004, Mohammed announced that Morocco would lift visa restrictions for Algerians, with Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika reciprocating the measure in 2005. Mohammed also created the Equity and Reconciliation Commission , which was tasked with researching human rights violations under Hassan II. This move

5478-440: The table must be taken out of the rules. Had the Fair play table been used, Guinea would have qualified ahead of Mali with a better disciplinary record." Wadie Jary, the president of the Tunisian Football Federation , claimed that there was a bias against Tunisia following their controversial quarter-final defeat to Equatorial Guinea on 31 January 2015. He was banned from CAF competitions and activities. Rajindraparsad Seechurn ,

5561-419: The tournament by the CAF. Equatorial Guinea was chosen as the new host, and despite having played in the qualifiers and been disqualified due to fielding an ineligible player, they qualified for the tournament automatically. The defending champions Nigeria failed to qualify for the tournament. The following sixteen teams qualified for the tournament. The four Equatorial Guinean cities selected to host

5644-438: The tournament were Malabo , Bata , Mongomo and Ebibeyin . Malabo and Bata were also host venues for the 2012 Africa Cup of Nations . Screening for Ebola was given to all spectators attending matches. Only the hosts got an automatic qualification spot, the other 15 teams qualified through qualification tournament . At the finals, the 16 teams were drawn into four groups of four teams each. The teams in each group played

5727-430: The tournament were Rabat , Marrakesh , Agadir and Tangier , as announced by the CAF Executive Committee on 23 September 2013. Casablanca would serve as an alternative venue. In October 2014, the government of Morocco requested a postponement of the tournament due to the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa . After the matter was discussed at the executive committee meeting on 2 November 2014, CAF decided to keep

5810-454: The tournament. CAF confirmed legal action against Morocco due to a contract signed in April 2014. Moroccan Sports Minister Mohamed Ouzzine said that CAF had falsely accused his country of "refusing" to host the tournament when it wanted it postponed, and justified the decision by citing that the World Health Organization gives every country the right to protect its citizens. On 6 February 2015, CAF announced that Morocco had been banned from

5893-404: The tournament. On 1 October 2022, Morocco announced its willingness to host the 2025 Africa Cup of Nations , after it was stripped from Guinea . On 27 September 2023, CAF announced that Morocco will host the 35th edition of the TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations 2025. On 15 January 2021, Morocco was announced as hosts for the 2022 Women's Africa Cup of Nations . This is the first time

5976-469: The upcoming 1998 FIFA World Cup . It ended with 12–7 vote for France allowing France to be host of the 16th edition of the FIFA World Cup . In 2006, Morocco made their third bid to host the FIFA World Cup . Germany was successful in winning the vote to host the 2006 FIFA World Cup . Morocco continued its attempt to host the next FIFA World Cup edition but failed in doing so. South Africa won

6059-435: The whistleblower website also quote the case of a businessman working for a US consortium, whose plans in Morocco were paralysed for months after he refused to join forces with a company linked with the royal palace. The documents quoted a company executive linked to the royal family as saying at a meeting that decisions on big investments in the kingdom were taken by only three people: the king, his secretary Mounir Majidi , and

6142-402: The winner, except for the play-off for third place where no extra time shall be played. On 27 January 2015, the CAF announced that they had relocated the venues of two of the quarter-finals: The kick-off time of quarter-finals 2 and 4 are also changed from 20:00 to 20:30 local time. For teams eliminated in the group stage, the following criteria are applied, in the order given, to determine

6225-528: The world . Upon ascending to the throne, Mohammed initially introduced a number of reforms and changed the family code, Mudawana , granting women in Morocco more power. Leaked diplomatic cables from WikiLeaks in 2010 led to allegations of corruption in the court of Mohammed, implicating him and his closest advisors. In 2011, protests in Morocco that were considered part of the wider Arab Spring occurred against alleged government corruption. In response, Mohammed enacted several reforms and introduced

6308-488: The world", and through which it "measures the sincerity of friendships and the efficiency of partnerships", while also calling on other countries "to clarify their positions" on the conflict "and reconsider them in a manner that leaves no room for doubt". This came as a number of countries backing Morocco's stance had established consulates in the Western Saharan cities of Laayoune and Dakhla beginning in late 2019, with

6391-766: Was commissioned a Colonel Major of the Royal Moroccan Army on 26 November 1985. Mohammed served as the Coordinator of the Offices and Services of the Royal Armed Forces until 1994. In 1987, Mohammed obtained his first Certificat d'Études Supérieures (CES) in political sciences, and in July 1988 he obtained a Diplôme d'Études Approfondies ( DEA ) in public law. In November 1988, he trained in Brussels with Jacques Delors ,

6474-642: Was admitted to the African Union in January 2017. Under his administration, Morocco developed partnerships with the Gulf Cooperation Council as well as other non-traditional great powers , mainly China and Russia, with the intention to diversify trade links and foreign investments and limit Morocco's traditional reliance on the European Union and other Western countries. The country offered to act as

6557-586: Was led by the Royal Moroccan Football Federation, who officially confirmed it. On 25 July 2018, Royal Moroccan Football Federation president Fouzi Lekjaa , confirmed Morocco will apply for the 2030 World Cup bid . On 10 March 2023, The Royal Spanish Football Federation and the Portuguese Football Federation , were studying the possibility of adding Morocco to their Iberian Bid to host the 2030 World Cup replacing Ukraine . On 4 October 2023, The FIFA Executive Committee has unanimously accepted

6640-440: Was ruled out as a host country and replaced by Equatorial Guinea. Ivory Coast won the tournament for their second Africa Cup of Nations title, defeating Ghana 9–8 in a penalty shoot-out after the final finished goalless following extra time . The DR Congo came third and the hosts Equatorial Guinea fourth, while defending champions Nigeria did not qualify. Bids : CAF received 3 bids before 30 September 2010,

6723-466: Was the 30th staging of the Africa Cup of Nations , the international men's football championship of Africa. It was organized by the Confederation of African Football (CAF) and was held from 17 January to 8 February 2015. The tournament was initially scheduled to be hosted by Morocco who later demanded postponement of the event because of the Ebola virus epidemic in West Africa ; subsequently Morocco

6806-507: Was visited by members of the royal family. In September 2019, the King was advised to rest for several days to recover from acute viral pneumonia , while his son Crown Prince Moulay Hassan represented him at former French President Jacques Chirac 's funeral. In June 2020, he underwent a procedure in Rabat to treat a recurrence of atrial flutter . In June 2022, Mohammed tested positive for COVID-19 . His personal doctor said he did not exhibit symptoms and recommended "a period of rest for

6889-406: Was welcomed by many as promoting democracy , but was also criticized because the commission's reports could not name the perpetrators. According to human rights organizations, human rights violations are still common in Morocco. The 2011 Moroccan protests , led by the 20 February Movement, were primarily motivated by corruption and general political discontentment, as well as by the hardships of

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