12. The Lion King: Moroccan Football and Sports Diplomacy as a Means of Power Legitimation

Studies into soft power and public diplomacy have become a standard repertoire in contemporary social sciences and international relations in particular. This chapter positions itself within this tradition and explores how the Moroccan monarchy attempts to use sports diplomacy to enhance its nation brand. In-depth media analysis yields that Moroccan sports policies are strategically designed to accompany the kingdom’s foreign policy endeavors to reach international recognition for its claims on the internationally contested territory of Western Sahara and its strife for regional hegemony. However, this chapter also goes beyond the traditional scope of soft power analyses by including observations on the discursive exploitation of Morocco’s success at the 2022 FIFA Football World Cup. It shows that apart from the international community, the same sports policies also target a domestic public to instill pride in the nation and patriotic feelings for the monarchy.