Five times they have bid, and five times they have been overlooked – Morocco is perhaps destined to never host a FIFA World Cup.

The North African Nation on Wednesday in Moscow failed in its bid to host the FIFA World Cup, losing the 2026 edition to the United bid of the US, Mexico, and Canada.

The FIFA Congress voted overwhelmingly, 134-65 and with only one neutral vote, to support the three-nation joint bid which had been in the lead in the run-up to the vote.

Morocco’s loss was its fifth loss and its bid had been looking destined to fail, even before the vote at the Moscow Expocentre, following the pre-vote report by FIFA technical officials.

Even when both bid leaders were given a last chance to make their case with 15-minute presentations in front of Congress, the pledge on financial returns widened the gap.

The North Americans had pledged to generate an 11 billion dollars profit, while Morocco could only pledge five billion dollars.

The 2026 tournament is going to be the first to be expanded, featuring 48 teams and not the 32 teams as currently obtained.

The 2018 edition which begins on Thursday, and the 2022 edition which holds in Qatar, will be the last ones in the 32-team tournament format.