Two individuals suspected of involvement in tickets racketeering the 2022 World Cup in Qatar were taken in for questioning at the prosecutor’s office in the Court of First Instance of Casablanca on Monday.
The two individuals in question are a club manager in Safi and a private radio host, according to a report from Le360.
The ongoing investigation aims to identify other potential individuals involved in the ticket scandal.
At the height of the national team’s performance in the world cup, fans reported that they found it impossible to procure tickets for upcoming matches due to predatory practices and hoarding.
Morocco’s national police department first opened an investigation into the disappearance of the tickets in December 2022.
According to Moroccan newspaper Assabah, MP Mohammed El Hidaoui was among the individuals interrogated during the investigation. El Hidaoui is a senior member of Morocco’s Football Federation board and was reportedly linked to the case in the days leading up to Morocco’s semifinal match against France.
The disappearance of the tickets caused widespread frustration among Moroccan fans who traveled to Qatar but were unable to obtain tickets due to shady circumstances surrounding their distribution and being sold at exorbitant prices, according to reports.
As news of the scandal broke, many disgruntled Moroccans, particularly those who had traveled to support the Atlas Lions, took to social media to express their shock and disappointment at the FRMF’s inability to fulfill their promise of making tickets available.
In March 2023, Head of Morocco’s Royal Football Federation (FRMF) Fouzi Lakjaa said that the Moroccan federation vows to “end the career” of those responsible for the fiasco.
Lakjaa also explained that the investigation is ongoing and would conclude “soon.”
