ALDAR/
The National Railway Office (ONCF) has decided to adopt English as an official language alongside Arabic on the high-speed Al-Boraq trains, which currently connect the cities of Casablanca, Rabat, Kenitra, and Tangier.
This notable shift has been implemented in the passenger communication systems, where English now features in audio announcements and digital screens onboard the trains, gradually replacing the French language that had previously dominated this domain.
This change is part of a comprehensive national plan led by Morocco to align various public services with international standards required by FIFA for hosting the World Cup. This includes creating a multilingual environment across transportation systems, tourism infrastructure, and service facilities in the cities set to host the global football event.
It is worth noting that FIFA mandates host countries to enhance the use of English in public spaces during the tournament — a guideline that was observed in previous editions such as the 2018 Russia World Cup — to facilitate communication with fans and visitors from around the globe.
This move reflects Morocco’s commitment to elevating the quality of its services and embracing linguistic openness, in line with its global ambitions and strategy to host one of the most prominent sporting events in the world.
