Why is Morocco called ‘MAR’ at the FIFA World Cup? The unique reason behind the abbreviation confusing fans
Morocco’s national football team is playing against Brazil today at the New York Stadium, but it is in the headlines not just because of its performances at the FIFA World Cup 2026.
One quirk on scoreboards and graphics puzzled a lot of match viewers: Morocco is displayed as “MAR” instead of the more evident “MOR.”
While most FIFA team abbreviations use the first three letters of a country’s English name, Morocco is one of several exceptions. The reason traces back to the country’s historical and linguistic ties with France.
Why does FIFA use ‘MAR’ instead of ‘MOR’?
According to FIFA’s official country code system, Morocco is represented by “MAR” because the country is widely known as “Maroc” in French.
