WASHINGTON — Morocco made its debut for the Women's World Cup on Monday with a match against Germany. It is one of eight teams making their first appearance at the tournament.
Viewers tuning into the match broadcasts may wonder why the country's abbreviation is listed as "MAR." The reason is actually pretty simple. While most of the scoreboard acronyms, also referred to as FIFA codes, come from the first three letters of a country's name in English, there are exceptions. Morocco is one of those exceptions.
The Arab team will face South Korea on Sunday, July 30 at 12:30 ET.
Why is Morocco 'MAR'?
While the country's English name is Morocco, it's known as Maroc in French.
According to a 2018 report from Slate, even though the official languages of the country are Arabic and Tamazight, French continues to have a powerful position there as a holdover from the colonial era.
Morocco isn't the only team in the Women's World Cup with a country code that differs from that English standard.
Other abbreviations that stand out in the tournament include Spain going by "ESP and South Korea referred to as "KOR."
Morocco’s debut game at the Women’s World Cup ended in a 6-0 loss to two-time champion Germany. The margin of defeat on Monday was the biggest so far at the tournament.
The national team’s Women's World Cup appearance comes less than a year after their male counterpart’s history making feat as the first African or Arab team to reach the World Cup semifinals.
