Animal welfare organisations are intensifying pressure on world football’s governing body over allegations that Morocco is conducting a mass killing of stray dogs to sanitise its streets ahead of co-hosting the 2030 FIFA World Cup with Spain and Portugal.
The International Animal Welfare and Protection Coalition (IAWPC) accused Morocco of increasing the killing of dogs after the country was confirmed as a co-host in October 2023, warning of a plan to eliminate up to three million strays before the tournament begins. The IAWPC submitted a 91-page dossier to the Fédération Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) containing photographic and testimonial evidence of poisonings, shootings and forced starvation of animals across host cities.
Animal welfare groups say the killings are part of a deliberate campaign to clean up Morocco’s streets, with one local official confirming to CNN that his city had begun removing stray dogs as part of World Cup preparations. Dog catchers have reportedly become more discreet in tourist-heavy areas as international scrutiny has grown.
Documents reportedly show local authorities ordering ammunition specifically to address the stray population. Hollywood actor Mark Ruffalo described the alleged killings as “a moral failure,” while People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has demanded that Morocco be stripped of hosting rights unless the practice stops.
FIFA previously cited Morocco’s assurance that culling had been prohibited since August 2024 and that resources were being allocated to expand clinics and support programmes. The IAWPC dismissed this as false, presenting evidence it says proves the daily slaughter continues in proposed host cities. Morocco launched a national Trap-Neuter-Vaccinate-Return (TNVR) strategy in 2019, though the country’s Ministry of Interior has acknowledged that not all municipalities apply the same approach.
In response, FIFA said it is in contact with the IAWPC on this matter and that a global panel of senior legal and animal welfare experts was convened to review Morocco’s draft regulations, with recommendations now submitted to Moroccan authorities. Morocco’s government, meanwhile, denies that any cull is taking place, pointing to its stated commitment to humane and sustainable animal management.
Critics argue that FIFA created the conditions for the problem by awarding hosting rights without enforceable animal welfare safeguards, drawing comparisons to migrant worker abuses during preparations for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. With the tournament four years away, advocates say time remains for Morocco to adopt humane solutions but warn that pressure on both Rabat and FIFA must not relent.
