The Moroccan youth Muay Thai national team has officially set off to Abu Dhabi to compete in the IFMA Youth World Championships, held from September 10 to 19, 2025. This participation reflects not only the country’s growing interest in combat sports but also its ambition to position Moroccan athletes among the rising stars of the global Muay Thai scene.
Led by Professor Abdelilah Idrissi Bouzidi, President of the Royal Moroccan Federation of Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Savate and Similar Sports, the squad includes promising male and female fighters across two age categories:
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Ages 14–15: Halima Belmajdoub (-42kg), Basma Masloub (-54kg), Elias Hamed (-40kg), and Anwar Al-Aytari (-57kg).
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Ages 16–17: Rayan Waqrim (-45kg), Noufel Ennour (-48kg), Youssef Ait Hamaja (-51kg), Mohamed Amine Bouyaala (-54kg), Bilal Chtitioui (-57kg), Hamza Touriou (-63.5kg), Adam Harir (-67kg), Chaimae Taziri (-45kg), Oumaima Essabounia (-51kg), Kawtar Bouardi (-54kg), Marwa Labbassi (-60kg), Mariam Hammamzin (-63.5kg), Yasmine Menkadi (-71kg), and Halima Ettayar (-75kg).
The technical staff includes national coaches Miloud El Bahri and Driss Benyahia, supported by Moroccan referees Mustapha El Ghanam, Mustapha Dehbas, and Lamina Bahab, with Dr. Ibrahim Ait Benasser as the team doctor.
A Strategic Participation Beyond Medals
This participation is more than just chasing medals. It is about exposing Moroccan youth fighters to international competition, testing their preparation, and identifying talents who could carry the national flag in future global events. Morocco’s involvement also reflects a broader sporting strategy: developing a new generation capable of competing in professional circuits while strengthening the country’s reputation in combat sports.
The event in Abu Dhabi thus represents both a challenge and an opportunity — a chance to measure Moroccan youth against the world’s elite and a platform to affirm that the Kingdom is investing seriously in the future of combat sports.
