The FIFA Club World Cup trophy tour made a pit-stop in Morocco this week, with Wydad Athletic Club serving as the final stop in Africa. However, sightings of manager Rulani Mokwena were few and far between.
The Story
Just under two months remain before the expanded FIFA Club World Cup kicks off in the United States, running from 14 June to 13 July 2025.
To celebrate the 32 participating teams, FIFA embarked on a global tour, showcasing the tournament's gleaming trophy in 29 cities across 20 countries.
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Mamelodi Sundowns were the first CAF representative to witness the trophy live in Pretoria, followed by stops at Al Ahly's base in Cairo and Esperance de Tunis’ stronghold in Tunis.
Finally, the trophy made its stop in the Moroccan city of Casablanca to visit Africa's fourth representative, Wydad.
The trophy received a warm reception from Wydad’s supporters, with players clearly thrilled to catch a glimpse of football’s newest crown jewel.
Wydad officials including president Hitcham Ait Mena, former players, and other prominent Moroccan figures were in attendance, as well as members of the coaching staff, including Mokwena.
While Mokwena appeared briefly in some videos posted by DAZN, there were curiously no sightings of the South African coach in any of the images shared on Wydad’s official social media platforms.
Although there may not be much to read into that, Mokwena’s potential departure could prompt some questions.
At present, it remains unclear whether Mokwena will leave Wydad before or after the Club World Cup.
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