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Rayah, a Moroccan restaurant in Toronto’s Cabbagetown neighbourhood, has become the go-to World Cup watching spot for the city’s Moroccan diaspora.Laura Proctor/The Globe and Mail
In Toronto’s Cabbagetown neighbourhood, a popular Moroccan restaurant is transforming into a soccer hotspot in preparation for when Canada plays Morocco in the World Cup on Saturday.
A few days ahead of the weekend clash, none of the customers in Rayah watching another match can tear their eyes away from the flat-screen TV, which looks out of place amid the bright and airy decor. The hybrid café and restaurant lacks any hint of the World Cup, but it has found itself wrapped up in the craze.
“We had, at a certain point, to refuse people,” said Wafa El Rhazi, owner and head chef of Rayah, after crowds piled into the establishment during Monday’s game between Morocco and the Netherlands. “But it was insane, the ambience was crazy.”
Ms. El Rhazi has hosted watch parties for all the Morocco games over the last few weeks of the tournament, which has not only grown a community of fans, but has brought new ones to the restaurant.
“Rayah, I hope if Morocco wins, will be a part of those memories,” she said.
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Wafa El Rhazi, chef and owner of Rayah, will host a watch party for Morocco vs Canada at her restaurant on Saturday.Laura Proctor/The Globe and Mail
The Moroccan team rose to the global spotlight during the 2022 World Cup, when the team finished the tournament in fourth place, the only African country to reach the semi-finals stage in a World Cup. The team defeated Canada in that year’s tournament and is heavily favoured to win again this weekend.
In the run-up to this year’s tournament, Morocco won the 2025 African Cup of Nations, which qualified the team for the World Cup. As of June 11, the last official rankings ahead of the World Cup, Morocco was ranked seventh globally.
Around 100,000 people who identify as Moroccan live in Canada, with more than 80,000 of them living in Quebec and about 12,000 in Ontario, according to Statistics Canada’s 2021 census.
Ms. El Rhazi said that after the last World Cup, many people fell in love with the overachieving underdog Moroccan team.
“Usually, it’s like the biggest European teams, like France,” she said. “Now, it’s an African country leading it, winning also, in competition with big, big teams.”
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People watch a World Cup game on a quiet afternoon at Rayah, on Thursday.Laura Proctor/The Globe and Mail
Morocco defeated the Netherlands – a traditional European soccer power – in its match on Monday leading to the showdown with Canada.
Rayane Bouziani, a second-generation Moroccan Canadian, said the support for Morocco is coming from across the world, and that she’s seen people from different countries backing the North African nation on social media.
“I feel like they see themselves in our team,” she said. “It’s really not just us that are supporting us.”
Ms. Bouziani grew up playing soccer and said she’s a “die-hard” Morocco fan who still plays friendly games with her brother and sister.
She was transported back home to Morocco when she watched the Netherlands-Morocco game at Mississauga’s Celebration Square on Monday.
“Seeing all the Morocco flags on the cars, which I never see, and seeing all the red jerseys, it was such a weird feeling. It’s surreal,” Ms. Bouziani said.
Rania Maazaz said the Canada-Morocco game will be the first one that she feels peaceful about. She’s usually nervous about her team winning, but this time she’s just excited to see the teams play.
Ms. Maazaz grew up in Morocco, surrounded by her grandfather’s photos and trophies, which he earned coaching the Moroccan national team. Her time in that country made her who she is now, but she feels that she can’t root for them over Canada.
“I choose to be in Canada. I choose Canada as my home,” she said. “I can’t be against it.”
For Ms. Maazaz, picking one of the teams to win is much like being a mother of two children. She loves the two teams and the countries they represent, but has a favourite child, the Moroccan team.
And like many mothers, she’s concerned about their future.
“They are both my children, but I am so scared about what’s going to happen after,” she said.
Ms. Bouziani said she feels as though she has no choice but to support Morocco, knowing the team’s humility and passion.
“Soccer is in my heart; it’s in all of our hearts. I’m going to show up for my country every time and support them,” she said.