Moghreb Atlético Tetuán (; MAT) is a Moroccan football club based in Tétouan, it was founded on 12 March 1922. MA Tétouan is best known for its professional football team that competes in Botola Pro, the first Division of the Moroccan football league system. The club has claimed the Botola Pro D2 (second division) title a record seven times.
History Foundation and first years (1922–1956) The founding date of the club, according to known records, particularly in several books written by Ahmed Mghara, dates back to March 1922.
During the 1920s, football in the region faced two significant challenges. The first was of a political and social nature. The Spanish Army experienced reprisals and long series of rebellions from Moroccans, mainly in the Rif region. These conflicts logically had a profound impact on the local Spanish population and consequently on football, given that many teams were composed of military personnel. The second challenge was of a sporting nature, acting as a significant hindrance to football development in Spanish Morocco. Hispano-Moroccan teams were limited to playing matches and competitions amongst themselves, without the opportunity to compete against teams from the Peninsula. For geographical, political, and economic reasons, the Spanish Football Federation refused to allow them to participate in the same competitions as mainland teams.
Meanwhile, other clubs were formed in the region and in the city of Tetuán, including Español F.C, primarily composed of Spaniards and a prominent club in the city, and Moghreb F.C, composed of Moroccan players. In 1932, a group of supporters of Atletico de Madrid attempted to unite several local club leaders with the goal of creating a powerful club capable of competing with Spanish clubs. Athletic Club de Tetuán was officially founded on March 12, 1933, and notably recruited the best players from F.C. Hispano-Marroquí and Sporting Club Tetuán, who had already been part of the initial venture. With a new logo inspired by Athletic Bilbao and kits inspired by Atlético Madrid.
The club debuted in the 1933–34 season, participating in the local second division. Despite mediocre results, the club managed to advance to the first division through a complete restructuring of the championship, coming from Ceuta and Melilla, Spanish enclaves in Morocco. A local rivalry emerged with Español F.C., dividing the city. With superior finances compared to other local teams, the club even recruited players from Spain, just three years after its creation. However, by the late 1930s, while the region was relatively pacified, the economy became increasingly unstable. The Spanish Civil War that erupted in 1936 also caused mass departures of expatriate military personnel returning to their home country to fight on the front lines. Athletic Club de Tetuán found itself in a precarious situation and more or less disappeared.
In 1941, the club returned and became Club Atlético de Tetuán following a decree requiring teams to have Spanish names. In Spanish territory, Athletic Club, founded by the English, for example, had become Club Atlético de Bilbao, with the club being on the verge of moving up to the second Spanish division, a complete restructuring of Spanish football finally allowed Club Atlético de Tetuán to compete with Iberian teams, and it now played in the third Spanish division.
This promotion was economically interesting, but on the field, the team struggled significantly. It was relegated at the end of its second season in the third tier of Spanish football, despite having the opportunity to compete in a playoff to avoid relegation and take the place of another team that had declared forfeit. Back in Spanish Morocco, the club easily won the championship in 1945–46, secured access through the playoffs to the Spanish third division, and made a comeback after only one year. This time, the results were much more positive. Under the leadership of President Julio Parrés López and with the arrival of numerous Spanish players and Andalusian coach Santiago Núñez, the club earned the opportunity to participate in the promotion playoffs to the second division. After doing the job, the club could finally experience the second Spanish division. This time, there would be no trembling. The club finished at a respectable 5th position, just a few points away from promotion to the first division. Recognized for its youth development policy, the club primarily tapped into the local talent pool in Spanish Morocco, recruiting the best young players from local teams. At the same time, it had forged a relationship with its former rival, Español C.F, which served as a subsidiary and had just earned promotion to the Spanish third division. Espano-Moroccan football was thriving.
After independence (Since 1956) After the Independence of Morocco, the club had a new committee and found themselves in the northern group in the play-offs to join the elite of the Moroccan league. Since then, the club has played 14 top-flight seasons and 34 in the 2nd division. The Moghreb Athletic of Tetouan won the Moroccan championship for the first time in its history, (which is for the first time a professional championship). This title was won at the end of the last day on the ground of his runner-up on FUS Rabat (Fath), on 28 May 2012. It was a historic moment for the club which not only won the title but also experienced the largest displacement of supporters (over 45,000 people) in the history of Moroccan football.
Sunday May 25, 2014 will go down in history. The club won its second championship against Raja de Casablanca. During the 29th matchday, the two teams were tied (55 points) except that Raja, were leader of the standings. Raja was beaten by the OCS (Olympique de Safi) in Safi by 1 goal to zero while Moghreb from Tetouan, beat the rebirth of Berkane in Tetouan by 2 goals to 1. This consecration allows him to participate for the first time in its history at the world club championship which was organized in Morocco in December 2014.
In 2nd division, the club won the championship 5 times from 1965 to 2005. They were the runner up for the throne cup in 2020 against AS FAR while also reaching the semi-final twice in 2008 against MAS de Fès and against berkane in 2025 and quarter-finalist twice in 1965 against the Moroccan stadium and in 1981 against the future finalist the CODM de Meknes.
Resurgence in the Moroccan pyramid (2011–2014) Tetouan really began to move up the footballing pyramid in July 2011, though, when little known coach Aziz El Amri was appointed. His mission was to save the team from relegation, but he took them to their first ever championship title in 2012—a feat even more remarkable when one takes into account that some of the senior players went on strike over unpaid wages, and Tetouan were forced to use inexperienced home grown youngsters instead. On the final day, they needed just a draw at FUS Rabat and won 1–0 to seal the trophy. Around 30,000 fans travelled with the team—the largest away crowd in Moroccan football history—marking the club's first league title and the first season of the professional Moroccan league.
In context, 2012–13 was relatively mediocre as the team lost some of its key players who left the club as they only managed to finish 5th. But in the following season Tetouan were back in the title race again, knowing that winning would secure a place in the 2014 Club World Cup. It was not to be. First, Moghreb Tetouan were thrashed 5–0 by Raja Casablanca in the big game on the penultimate day of the season, seemingly losing the crown. On 25 May, Raja Casablanca lost to Olympic Safi on the final day, and Tetouan claimed the championship title. Moghreb Tetouan competed in the 2014 FIFA Club World Cup, marking its first apperance in the tournament. it fell short in its opening match against Auckland City, causing it to be knocked out in the Play-off for quarter-finals.
Sergio Lobera and African success (2015–16) On December 24, 2014 Sergio Lobera was appointed as the new Moghreb Atletico Tetouan head coachEl Moghreb Atlético de Tetuán apuesta por Sergio Lobera (Moghreb Athletic Tetouan bets on Sergio Lobera) ; Sport, December 24, 2014 and successor of El Amri. The team managed to pull off a historic African Champions League campaign, qualifying for the group stage for the first time ever. Despite its debut in the competition, the club fell short in the group stage, forcing it to have an early exit from the competition.
Period of decline (2016–present)
From 2016 to 2023, Moghreb Atlético Tetuán experienced a significant decline, marked by financial instability, management issues, and poor on-field performance. Despite a successful period in the early 2010s, including league titles in 2012 and 2014, the club struggled to maintain its competitive edge in subsequent years after the resignation of President Abdelmalek Abroun and the election of Redouane El Ghazi as new President by the club members in 2018.
Financial problems plagued MAT, leading to unpaid wages and the departure of key players. The instability was exacerbated by frequent changes in the coaching staff, which hindered the development of a consistent team strategy. As a result, the team's performance deteriorated, culminating in their relegation to the Botola Pro 2 in the 2020-2021 season, although the team was promoted to the top tier of Moroccan football the next year. Efforts to stabilize the club included new management after the resignation of President El Ghazi in 2023 and the election of an 'interim board of directors', but the journey to reclaim their former glory remained challenging.
Colors and symbols Red and white kit Traditionally the home kit features the iconic red and white stripe design accompanied by blue shorts and red socks, this combination has been used since 1947 and is still in use today, although sometimes blue socks are used instead. What is worth mentioning is that the club wore black socks instead at first (1922–1947). The club of course got its colours from its Spanish twin club Atlético Madrid. The away kit colours generally differs from one season to another but is usually black with white and red applications.
The kit has been made by many brands like Nike, Le Coq Sportif, among others. As of the 2024/2025 season, the kit sponsor will be Italian sportswear brand Kappa. The current main shirt sponsor is Tanger-Med, the company that runs the biggest industrial seaport in the Mediterranean, while Cafés Carrion, inwi and Radio Mars all have minor sponsorship on the shirt.
Home ground