Morocco’s King Absent at CAN 2025 Opening: The Makhzen’s Silence Sparks Political Speculation

Until the final moments, the Makhzen deliberately maintained ambiguity regarding the king’s attendance. Announcements of his presence lacked confirmation, cultivating uncertainty. Ultimately, Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan, 22, presided over the ceremony, seated alongside African heads of state and the FIFA president. This calibrated orchestration aimed to project state continuity and reassure observers of regime stability, even as the monarch’s absence provokes deeper questions about his governance capacity.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino’s speech further accentuated the symbolic gap, praising a king present only in name while formally thanking Mohammed VI for hosting the tournament. The dissonance between symbolic omnipresence and practical invisibility intensifies speculation, particularly given the king’s long-documented health issues.

Reports indicate that Mohammed VI has suffered from sarcoidosis, a chronic inflammatory disease potentially affecting vital organs, including the heart. The royal palace’s selective disclosures contrast sharply with the transparency expected of modern states. Frequent medical trips abroad and the dwindling number of public appearances have gradually fostered an environment of uncertainty, now difficult for official channels to contain.

Beyond the king himself, the episode exposes the structural vulnerability of Morocco’s hypercentralized monarchical system. When the figure of the sovereign withdraws from the public eye, the mechanisms of the state, overly dependent on his presence, are laid bare. The king’s absence at a globally broadcast event such as the CAN opening transcends a mere medical explanation, highlighting deeper political fragility the regime attempts to mask through images, speeches, and tightly controlled messaging.