Editing Morocco (section)

=== Sport ===
{{main|Sport in Morocco}}
[[File:Morocco vs Algeria, June 04 2011-10.jpg|thumb|Moroccan football fans]]
Football is the country's most popular sport, popular among the urban youth in particular. In 1986, Morocco became the first Arab and African country to qualify for the second round of the [[FIFA World Cup]]. Morocco hosted the [[Africa Cup of Nations]] in [[1988 African Cup of Nations|1988]] and will host it again in [[2025 Africa Cup of Nations|2025]] after original host Guinea was stripped from hosting rights due to inadequacy of hosting preparations. Morocco was originally scheduled to host the [[2015 Africa Cup of Nations]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/872480/morocco-to-stage-the-2015-african-nations-cup?cc=5901 |title=Morocco to stage the 2015 African Nations Cup – ESPN Soccernet |publisher=ESPN FC |date=29 January 2011 |access-date=1 August 2011 |archive-date=29 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110429011957/http://soccernet.espn.go.com/news/story/_/id/872480/morocco-to-stage-the-2015-african-nations-cup?cc=5901 }}</ref> but refused to host the tournament on the scheduled dates because of fears over the [[Ebola outbreak]] on the continent.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30004279|title=Africa Cup of Nations: Morocco will not host finals over Ebola fears|newspaper=BBC Sport|date=11 November 2014|access-date=13 February 2018|archive-date=8 January 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160108050911/http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/football/30004279|url-status=live}}</ref> Morocco made six attempts to host the FIFA World Cup but lost five times to the United States, France, Germany, South Africa and a Canada–Mexico–United States joint bid, however Morocco will co-host it in [[2030 FIFA World Cup|2030]] along with [[Portugal]] and [[Spain]] having finally won the bid in their sixth attempt. In [[2022 FIFA World Cup|2022]], Morocco became the first African and Arab team to reach the semifinals and finished 4th in the tournament.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Ronald |first=Issy |date=2022-12-10 |title=Morocco becomes first ever African team to reach World Cup semifinals with historic victory over Portugal |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2022/12/10/football/morocco-portugal-quarterfinals-world-cup-2022-spt-intl/index.html |access-date=2025-01-26 |website=CNN |language=en}}</ref>

At the [[1984 Summer Olympics|1984 Olympic Games]], two Moroccans won gold medals in track and field. [[Nawal El Moutawakel]] won in the [[400 metres hurdles]]; she was the first woman from an Arab or Islamic country to win an Olympic gold medal. [[Saïd Aouita]] won the [[5000 metres]] at the same games. [[Hicham El Guerrouj]] won gold medals for Morocco at the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] in the [[1500 metres]] and 5000 metres and holds several [[List of world records in athletics|world record]]s in the [[mile run]].

[[Spectator sports]] in Morocco traditionally centred on the art of [[horsemanship]] until European sports—[[association football|football]], [[polo]], [[swimming (sport)|swimming]] and [[tennis]]—were introduced at the end of the 19th century. Tennis and [[golf]] have become popular.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2023/06/356114/morocco-emerges-as-top-class-golf-destination|title=Morocco Emerges As 'Top-Class' Golf Destination|last=Hamaan|first=Jasper|newspaper=Moroccan World News|date=June 24, 2023|accessdate=June 14, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.moroccoworldnews.com/2024/05/362609/moroccan-tennis-teams-triumph-at-african-championships-despite-talent-oversight|title=Moroccan Tennis Teams Triumph at African Championships, Despite Talent Oversight|last=El Kanouni|first=Zakaria|newspaper=Moroccan World News|date=May 12, 2024|accessdate=June 14, 2024}}</ref> Several Moroccan professional players have competed in international competition, and the country fielded its first [[Davis Cup]] team in 1999. Morocco established one of Africa's first competitive leagues in basketball.<ref>{{cite news |first=Lee |last=Nxumalo |title=Basketball's next frontier is Africa |url=https://www.newframe.com/basketballs-next-frontier-is-africa/ |access-date=11 January 2021 |work=New Frame |date=20 December 2020 |archive-date=16 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210116062357/https://www.newframe.com/basketballs-next-frontier-is-africa/ |url-status=dead }}</ref> [[Rugby football|Rugby]] came to Morocco in the early 20th century, mainly by the French who occupied the country.<ref name=Completerugby>Bath, Richard (ed.) The Complete Book of Rugby (Seven Oaks Ltd, 1997 {{ISBN|1-86200-013-1}}) p71</ref> As a result, [[Rugby union in Morocco|Moroccan rugby]] was tied to the fortunes of France, during the first and second [[World War]], with many Moroccan players going away to fight.<ref name=Completerugby/> Like many other Maghreb nations, Moroccan rugby tended to look to Europe for inspiration, rather than to the rest of Africa. [[Kickboxing]] is also popular in Morocco.<ref>{{cite journal|url=https://research.vu.nl/en/publications/kickboksen-een-marokkaanse-route-naar-succes|title=Kickboksen, een Marokkaanse route naar succes?|author=F.H.M. van Gemert|journal=Tijdschrift voor Veiligheid|date=October 1, 2019|volume=18 |issue=3–4 |pages=56–74 |doi=10.5553/TvV/187279482019018304004|hdl=1871.1/879c2ee1-a047-4286-94bb-fbb3e2ed01bf |hdl-access=free}}</ref> The Moroccan-Dutch [[Badr Hari]], heavyweight kickboxer and martial artist, is a former K-1 heavyweight champion and K-1 World Grand Prix 2008 and 2009 finalist.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mmafighting.com/2011/09/28/badr-hari-to-retire-from-kickboxing-k-1-world-gp-possibly-in-je|title=Badr Hari to Retire From Kickboxing|last=Herbertson|first=Daniel|publisher=Vox Media, LLC|date=September 28, 2011|website=MMAFighting.com|accessdate=June 14, 2024}}</ref>