The Confederation of African Football (CAF) has exempted the Moroccan Women’s Football Team from participating in the first round of the African qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Women’s Olympic Football Tournament (WOFT).
The Moroccan Royal Football Federation (FRMF) said on Tuesday that the Atlas Lionesses were granted the exception due to the remarkable results they have achieved in recent years across various tournaments.
This includes the team’s performance at the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON), which took place in Morocco last year. The Moroccan squad reached the tournament’s final for the first time in history, although they narrowly lost 2-1 the title to South Africa.
The Atlas Lionesses’ outstanding performance at the continental event secured Morocco its first-ever ticket to the Women’s World Cup.
The global tournament will take place in Australia and New Zealand between July 20 to August 2023, with Morocco being the only representative of the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.
CAF announced today the draw results for the African qualifiers for the 2024 Olympic Games, unveiling the second and first-round fixtures.
In the second round, Morocco will face the winner of the match between Equatorial Guinea and Namibia.
The first round will take place between July 10 and 18, 2023, while the second round is scheduled for between October 23 and 31, 2023. Meanwhile, the third round will take place between February 19 and 28, 2024, with the fourth round set for April 1-9, 2024.
While women’s football in Morocco continues to face challenges, including limited resources and societal stereotypes, it has been steadily growing in popularity over the years, with the FRMF actively promoting the development of the sport in the country.
