Football-mad Morocco dreams of a World Cup final in its own ark

Buoyed by the team’s success in 2022, the kingdom is eyeing a bigger goal

The rendering is dramatic, a vast white stadium inspired by the design of a Maghrebi communal tent, known as a moussem.

The language used to describe it is no less flowery: think of it as “almost like a Noah’s Ark, a place for all nature and animals to come together”, says Tarik Oualalou, head of Paris architecture firm Oualalou + Choi, one of five teams in the design consortium.

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Africa Cup of Nations: Benin shock Morocco to set up Senegal clash

  • Outsiders win 4-1 on penalties after 1-1 draw
  • Sadio Mané gets Senegal winner against Uganda

Benin have delivered one of the biggest upsets in Africa Cup of Nations history, eliminating much-fancied Morocco on penalties after Hakim Ziyech missed a late spot-kick in Cairo.

The Squirrels prevailed 4-1 in the shootout after Sofiane Boufal sent his penalty over the bar, and Benin keeper Saturnin Allagbé tipped Youssef En-Nesyri’s effort onto the woodwork. Midfielder Mama Séïbou then stepped up to score the decisive spot-kick.

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