FIFA has reportedly granted Moroccan football authorities exceptional approval to continue the 2025–26 Botola Pro season during the 2026 FIFA World Cup period.
The decision means Morocco’s top-flight campaign is now expected to run until approximately 27 June 2026, creating a rare overlap between a domestic league season and football’s biggest international tournament.
The 2026 World Cup, hosted by United States, Canada and Mexico, is scheduled to take place from 11 June to 19 July.
Fixture Congestion Forces Calendar Changes
The extension of the Botola Pro calendar comes after severe fixture congestion caused by Morocco’s involvement in multiple major competitions over recent seasons.
Morocco has hosted and participated in tournaments including the African Nations Championship, the Arab Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations.
Those commitments, combined with Moroccan clubs’ deep runs in CAF interclub competitions, created repeated postponements and scheduling pressure throughout the domestic campaign.
League organisers were therefore left with limited room to complete the season before the World Cup began.
FIFA Considers Broadcast Timing Advantage
According to reports from Radio Mars, FIFA’s approval was heavily influenced by time-zone differences between Morocco and the World Cup host nations.
Because most World Cup matches in North America will take place several hours behind Moroccan local time, officials believe clashes in television broadcast windows can largely be avoided.
Under the revised arrangement, Botola Pro matches are expected to be scheduled strategically to minimise overlap with major World Cup fixtures.
This approach is designed to preserve television audiences while allowing Morocco’s domestic season to reach completion.
Rare Exception in Global Football Scheduling
Domestic leagues across the world typically pause during the World Cup period, making FIFA’s decision a highly unusual exception.
The approval reflects the increasing complexity of the modern football calendar, where domestic competitions, continental tournaments and international fixtures frequently overlap.
For Moroccan football authorities, the decision provides breathing room to conclude the campaign without cancelling or excessively compressing fixtures.
Moroccan Football Faces Unique Balancing Act
The revised schedule now places Moroccan football in the unique position of operating alongside the World Cup itself.
Competition organisers are expected to coordinate carefully with FIFA and broadcasters to avoid direct scheduling conflicts and maintain competitive balance.
The arrangement also allows Moroccan clubs and players to continue domestic action while the global spotlight remains fixed on North America.
As preparations continue, the Botola Pro is set to become one of the few domestic leagues in modern football history to run concurrently with a FIFA World Cup.
