King Mohammed VI on Wednesday received the Moroccan women’s national football team during the Throne Day celebrations held at the Prefecture of M’diq-Fnideq, in recognition of their groundbreaking achievements on the African football stage.

The royal audience served as a symbolic and historic tribute to the Atlas Lionesses, who have reached the final of the Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) in two consecutive editions—a feat never before accomplished by the team. Their back-to-back final appearances have not only lifted the profile of Moroccan women’s football but also positioned the team as a continental powerhouse.

Led by their head coach, the players were warmly welcomed by the monarch in a dignified and ceremonial setting, reinforcing the growing national support for women’s sports. The audience reflected Morocco’s broader commitment to gender equity in sports and the elevation of female athletes to the national spotlight.

Earlier in the day, King Mohammed VI received FIFA President Gianni Infantino and Royal Moroccan Football Federation (FRMF) President Fouzi Lekjaa. Their presence at the official celebrations underlined Morocco’s rising status in the global football community and the significant strides the country has made in developing the sport at all levels.

The recognition of the Atlas Lionesses on such a prominent national occasion signals a new era for women’s football in Morocco, as the team continues to inspire a new generation of female athletes across the kingdom.

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In a major humanitarian gesture to mark this year’s Throne Day celebrations, His Majesty King Mohammed VI of Morocco has granted a royal pardon to a total of 19,673 individuals convicted by various courts across the Kingdom.

According to an official statement released by the Ministry of Justice, 2,415 of the beneficiaries were granted clemency through the conventional royal pardon, while an exceptional 17,258 others were selected under special humanitarian criteria, underscoring the King’s compassion and concern for this category of citizens.

Among the 2,415 traditional pardon recipients:

• 2,239 inmates currently in detention benefited from either full pardon of the remaining prison term (16 individuals), sentence reductions (2,218), or conversion of life sentences to fixed-term sentences (5).
• 176 individuals not in detention received pardons in various forms, including annulment of prison terms or fines, or both.

In a remarkable expansion of the clemency initiative, King Mohammed VI also approved a special pardon for 17,258 convicts, characterized as a humanitarian outreach. This group includes:

• 17,121 inmates whose remaining sentences and fines were cancelled,
• 114 inmates who had life sentences commuted to fixed terms,
• 23 prisoners whose death sentences were commuted to life imprisonment.

The Ministry’s statement highlighted that this exceptional act of royal grace reflects the King’s deep concern for inmates’ reintegration and social rehabilitation.

The total number of beneficiaries from both the standard and exceptional pardons stand at 19,673 individuals.

Throne Day, observed annually, commemorates the King’s ascension to the throne and is traditionally marked by public celebrations, military parades, and announcements of royal pardons, symbolising mercy and reconciliation.

The Ministry’s statement concluded with prayers for the continued health and longevity of His Majesty King Mohammed VI, as well as blessings for Crown Prince Moulay El Hassan and the Royal Family.

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