An unfounded claim has recently taken flight across social media platforms, suggesting that the Moroccan Minister of Sports, Mohammed Saad Berrada, expressed that Morocco's participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is solely to represent Morocco, rather than Africa as a whole. This assertion has sparked a wave of engagement online, with numerous users sharing the post which reads, “Morocco Sports Minister, Mohammad Saad Berrada, said Morocco is at the World Cup to represent Morocco, not Africa.” Such statements can easily fuel division and misinformation, prompting the fact-checking organization DUBAWA to delve deeper into its authenticity.
Upon conducting a thorough investigation, DUBAWA sought to uncover whether any reputable sports news outlets had reported on this claim. This involved combing through various sports media channels and checking for mentions of the alleged quote alongside the minister's name. However, the search yielded no credible reports from well-known sources such as Reuters, BBC Sport, ESPN, Al Jazeera, AFP, or even local publications like Hespress and Morocco World News. None of these organizations, which regularly cover football events and news, have documented any such remarks made by Berrada.
Further scrutiny revealed a statement from Morocco World News, published on July 8, which categorically denied the claims attributed to Mohammed Saad Berrada, affirming that he has not made any public statements to the media regarding this matter. Similarly, no documentation or release containing the alleged comments was found on official Moroccan government platforms or verified social media accounts associated with the Ministry of Sports.
In conclusion, DUBAWA has found no credible evidence to substantiate the claim that Morocco’s Sports Minister stated that the nation is participating in the FIFA World Cup to represent only itself and not Africa. The absence of coverage from reputable news organizations and the lack of official government statements lend credence to the verdict that this claim is indeed false.
As reported by dubawa.org.
