The eyes celebrate the victory of the Moroccan national team.
The city of Laayoune turned into an open celebration arena early this Tuesday morning, after the Moroccan national football team secured their passage to the Round of 16 in the 2026 World Cup following a thrilling victory over the Dutch team in a penalty shootout (3-2), after the original and extra time ended in a positive draw (1-1), in a match held at the Monterrey stadium in Mexico.
As soon as the Brazilian international referee Wilton Sampaio blew the final whistle, thousands of fans flooded into the various streets and neighborhoods of the Moroccan desert capital, where the city was adorned with national flags and cheers, ululations, and car horns filled the air, in an exceptional celebratory scene that reflected the joy of the historic achievement accomplished by the "Atlas Lions" in reaching the Round of 16 for the second consecutive time in the World Cup finals.
Several senior local officials participated in the celebrations that took place in the city, alongside the Sahrawi fans who gathered in large numbers in public squares and spaces, chanting national slogans in support of the Moroccan team, and others affirming their commitment to the territorial unity of the kingdom, in an atmosphere where national pride blended with football euphoria.
Cafés and public squares witnessed a wide turnout from fans since the early hours of yesterday evening to follow the match, before the end of the game turned into a massive public celebration, as crowds flocked from various neighborhoods to the Mechouar square, which was filled with tens of thousands of celebrants amidst an atmosphere characterized by national songs and chants supporting the team.
Meanwhile, national security forces spread across various main intersections to secure traffic flow and organize the movement of vehicles and citizens, especially on the roads leading to Mechouar square west of Laayoune; this contributed to the celebrations proceeding in an organized manner, despite the large crowds in the city.