OUTRAGE has engulfed Morocco amid allegations that the country is planning to cull millions of stray animals ahead of the 2030 Football World Cup.
Animal rights groups have sounded the alarm, warning that as many as three million dogs could face execution as Morocco allegedly moves to clean up its streets before co-hosting the tournament with Spain and Portugal.
While Moroccan authorities have firmly rebuffed the claims, the International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition (IAWPC) insists that roughly 300,000 stray animals are being shot, poisoned, or otherwise killed every year in the run-up to the World Cup.
“After the [World Cup confirmation], the extermination of the dogs has increased dramatically,” the IAWPC stated in a report.
“As a result, the fear is that Morocco will now go ahead with their plan for the mass slaughter of three million dogs.”
Dramatic images and video on the IAWPC’s social media channels show dozens of dogs crammed into trucks or forcibly restrained with chains, reportedly being transported to alleged ‘kill centres’ or dumped at local rubbish tips.
The IAWPC has also accused World Cup organiser FIFA of enabling the alleged massacre, sharply criticising the governing body over what it describes as a failure to act despite a damning 91-page report said to contain photographic evidence of the killings.
FIFA responded that it had raised the issue with the Moroccan Football Federation, which confirmed that a new law was being drafted to ‘[meet] the needs of public health and safety and animal welfare.’
In August, Morocco proposed a bill imposing prison sentences of between two and six months for anyone who ‘intentionally kills, tortures or injures a stray animal in any manner.’
However, under provisions of the same law, those who ‘shelter, feed or treat’ stray animals could also face fines – or even prison time in cases of repeat offences.
In a post on X, Oscar-winning actor and animal rights campaigner Mark Ruffalo blasted Morocco’s alleged policy as a ‘moral failure.’
“Killing millions of dogs to prepare for a global sporting event is not progress, it’s a moral failure,” Ruffalo said.
“Humane solutions exist, and choosing compassion over violence is a responsibility we all share.”
An article published last month by The Athletic compiled accounts from Marrakech residents describing one of the city’s alleged kill centres – a facility where captured dogs are held in cages for days before being executed.
Locals have even reported instances where dogs are left to starve for three days before being burned alive.
The article also cited claims that another unnamed Moroccan city ordered 1,000 bullets in September 2025 to reduce its stray dog population.
In the same city, residents have reportedly expressed fear for their safety, alleging that stray bullets have struck near homes as animals were shot in the streets.
Morocco was formally confirmed as a 2030 World Cup co-host in late 2023, when FIFA approved a joint bid uniting Morocco, Spain, and Portugal.
READ MORE: Spain beats co-hosts Morocco and Portugal to host final of the World Cup 2030
The decision marked a historic moment, bringing the tournament to multiple continents as part of the centenary edition of football’s flagship event.
The 2030 World Cup will also feature some additional commemorative matches in South America.
Games are expected to be staged in a range of cities and newly developed venues, with the tournament set to unfold during the summer of 2030.
The criticism of Morocco’s alleged animal rights abuses comes at a pivotal moment, as the country prepares its venues for the competition.
Spain’s Consejo Superior de Deportes has been approached for comment.
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