Morocco’s Ambassador to the United States, Youssef Amrani, held talks in Washington with the Executive Director of the White House Task Force for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, Andrew Giuliani, a meeting that reflects both a strong interest in cooperation and the historic friendship between the Kingdom and the United States.
Appointed by President Donald Trump, Andrew Giuliani is leading what is set to be the world’s largest sporting event, scheduled from June 11 to July 19 in the United States, as well as Mexico and Canada. As the true orchestrator of this major event in the U.S, he serves as the focal point and driving force behind a complex, hierarchical structure established under the leadership of the President and Vice President of the United States to ensure that millions of fans from around the world, including supporters of the Atlas Lions, are welcomed under the best possible conditions.
Strategic engagement with Morocco is, by the American official’s own words, both a priority and a unifying commitment. As the first country to recognize the independence of the United States, the Kingdom also stands out as a future host of the 2030 FIFA World Cup, alongside Spain and Portugal, taking the baton from the 2026 edition’s organizers.
The Executive Director of the White House Task Force also praised the extraordinary infrastructure developed in the Kingdom to promote soccer worldwide, noting that the FIFA President had even expressed his “admiration” for the success of the Moroccan model, driven by a forward-looking Royal Vision that harnesses sports for development.
The meeting allowed Mr. Giuliani to emphasize his full willingness, as well as that of U.S. authorities, to work closely with Morocco to make the 2026 and 2030 events “two major successes,” set to further reinforce the exemplary nature of an exceptional bilateral alliance.
These discussions, also attended by Simon Bland, Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S Department of Homeland Security, reflects a broader commitment by Washington to coordinate, collaborate, and work with Morocco to develop efficient operational approaches so that each party’s experiences can benefit all.
This commitment is all the more significant given that the 2026 World Cup is expected to draw a spectacular crowd, with 5 million tickets already sold and ticket requests exceeding 500 million since FIFA launched the first sales phase in January 2026.
For his part, Mr. Amrani emphasized that this global sporting event represents a “window into the vitality, depth, and strength of an alliance, but, above all, of an unwavering friendship, between the Kingdom of Morocco and the United States of America.”
He noted in this regard that “Morocco’s immense joy at hosting the 2030 World Cup is all the more pronounced given that the Kingdom will take over from the 2026 edition organized by our American partners, at a time when we are also celebrating the 250th anniversary of our bilateral relations this year.”
“As the first country to recognize the independence of the United States, Morocco continues to build, in soccer as in diplomacy, a truly remarkable history, bringing together two allies bound by time and by heart,” he said.
The ambassador also welcomed the close contacts already established with U.S. authorities, particularly regarding security, noting that the Kingdom has been specifically designated, at the highest level of the U.S. government, as a partner to participate in the White House Task Force for the FIFA World Cup. “A signal that reflects much more than mere cooperation. It reflects an unwavering trust that continues to grow between our two countries,” he said.
While welcoming this strategic cooperation in the run-up to upcoming major global sporting events, notably the 2026 World Cup, the Moroccan diplomat noted that this recognition underscores the trust placed in Morocco, whose expertise, professionalism, and proven ability to manage international events continue to be widely praised around the world.
