Morocco is witnessing some of its most significant unrest in years as youth-led protests intensify against poor public services and massive spending on the 2030 FIFA World Cup. Authorities reported nearly 300 injuries in the latest night of demonstrations, with 263 police officers and 23 civilians hurt across 17 cities. More than 400 people were detained.
The protests, spearheaded by a tech-savvy movement called GenZ212, erupted last weekend and have spread nationwide. Demonstrators accuse the government of neglecting health care and education while allocating an estimated $35 billion for infrastructure and stadium projects to co-host the World Cup with Spain and Portugal. Chants of &ldquo;Health care first, we don&rsquo;t want the World Cup&rdquo; have become a rallying cry.
Human rights groups, including AMDH and Damir, have condemned what they describe as an excessive state response, with more than 1,000 arrests since Saturday. They urged authorities to respect the right to peaceful protest and reconsider national spending priorities.
The rare upheaval threatens Morocco&rsquo;s image as a stable investment hub in North Africa, highlighting growing discontent among its young population facing high unemployment and declining social services.

Youth-led protests erupt across Morocco over poor services and $35B World Cup projects

Morocco Sees Mass Protests Over World Cup Spend

Youth-led protests erupt across Morocco over poor services and $35B World Cup projects

October 2, 2025 | 14:09 IST